Animorphs, New Reality#1: The game
by Aninews Boardies
Summary: When the Ellimist dies, a new game must be played. will the new Players be ready for what is to come? (the first few chapters sounds like the real book, but it changes drastically soon)
1. OMEGA

I am OMEGA  
  
A powerful 4d being just like Crayak, it's a long story but i am a being like him.  
  
The only other 4d being other than him.   
  
If only i was strong enough to save the Ellimist from his untimely death......then things would be different...things would be...  
  
I'm sorry, i must stop myself from becoming emotional.  
  
After the Ellimist died, I was left to be the only one able to keep playing him and the Ellimist's game.   
  
"The Ellimist is dead. I still see no point in you playing for him OMEGA, you are only delaying the inevitable," said Crayak.  
  
I WOULDN'T BET ON IT, i replied.  
  
"Oh really? then how about we play this game over again? Shall we? But this time you are not to select the Ellimist's chosen one's," he said evilly.  
  
WHY? ARE YOU AFRAID?, i mocked buying some time to think of what i should be doing.  
  
"Of course not, it's just that with those selected ones have already won their game, and since this is a totally new game, then the players must be different."he explained.  
  
I knew he was afraid of the Animorphs that the Ellimist picked, but i couldn't argue, this was my only chance to play him.   
  
VERY WELL CRAYAK, I AGREE, i said.   
  
He laughed and laughed.  
  
"Good, at least you've come to your senses," he said. "Let the game.......begin." 


	2. Beginning

My name...well, I don't think I should even tell you that. To my friends, I always was ME. To my friends, I always will be ME. But you need to know everything else, so why shouldn't you know my name?  
  
I'm Joey. I'm not telling you where I live, my last name, my e-mail address, nothing. All you need to know, is that we are the last line of defence for Earth.  
  
We? Who are we? The animorphs, a group of warriors, we fight for Earth. But it's not the kind of war you'd think. No explosives, no famous speeches, at least not any you'd have heard. This is an alien invasion. Just let me get a couple of things straight. Firstly, this is not a war full of laser blasts and quantam explosives. This is a slow, steady infiltration. Second, we're kids. I'm not giving you our ages, I'm just telling you, a handful of kids is all that is protecting Earth.  
  
Fortunently, we have a couple of assets on our side. We can morph. Gibberish to you, but it basically means we can become animals, we were given that power by an Andalite, Price Elfangor Sirinal-Shamtul. Hero of his race, enemy of the Yeerk empire.  
Yeerk, a word you need to know, you'll find out soon enough. But the fact remains, you need to know.  
  
So we will fight, maybe not win, but we will fight. Fight for our country, fight for our world, and fight for our own reasons.  
  
I will destroy the Yeerks for what they did to my family.  
  
It all started one day when i was walking through the mall just minding my own business when......... 


	3. At the mall

(Alberto)  
  
My name is Alberto.   
  
Her name was.....well.....i could care less about what her name was. The main thing was that she was HOT! HOT! HOT!  
  
I was in the Food Court in the mall with my friends James, Jonathan and Peter,, but Peter had gone with Jonathan to this store, and left me and James sitting at our table, waiting for them to come back.  
  
And While we were waiting i saw the hottest chick i've ever seen. She just that at the table across from ours. Alone. ALONE!!!!! No murder-bent killer boyfriends to shoo me away from her! or Even Her friends to completely try and fend magnificently cute guys away from their friend.  
  
"Close your mouth, Your gonna get drool on your shirt," my friend James said.  
  
"Hardy, Har, har," I said. "You're just jealous. I know she wants me."   
  
"Yeah. Wants you to stop staring at her. She thinks you're a stalker now," he said.  
  
"But a cute lovable stalker!" i said.  
  
"You need help," James said Bluntly.  
  
I was gonna say something very rude to him but he interupted me.  
  
"Hey! Look! Over there!" James said.  
  
I turned to look. It was this boy from school.  
  
His name was Joey.   
  
"Hey Joey!" James said.  
  
Joey was this kid from school, in fact he was a freshman, who kinda reminded me of mylself when i was his age.   
  
"Hey," Joey said.   
  
i wasn't paying attention. I was still eyeing the hot chick. Her cell phone then started to ring.  
  
I tried to read her lips but it was hard. She got up then started to walk away.  
  
"James! Joey! The hot chick is leaving!" I said.  
  
"What's your point?" asked Joey.  
  
"Woah, she looks afraid somehow, a little tence," James said.  
  
"Oh, she'll become relaxed and happy again when she experiances the Alberto!" I said.  
  
Joey and James rolled their eyes.  
  
But i just got up and started following her. NOT STALKING i might add!  
  
"Where's he going?" asked Joey.  
  
"On a pointless chase, but let's follow him anyway," James said.  
  
So they came along with me to go chase after the HOT chick, i'd go up to her and...er....try and make mouth sounds that would hopefully sound like "Hi, wanna see a movie?"   
  
She headed outside and the sun seemed like it was gonna set.  
  
I just kept on following her. She than headed to the abndoned contruction site.  
  
But then i heard something that sounded like a crashing plane. I looked up. And there it was. Something i couldn't believe. It looked like a flying saucer. But it couldn't have been.....  
  
"Whoa! Berto! Let's turn back!" James said.  
  
"No! c'mon! i have to attempt to ask her out!" I said.  
  
"Who cares? There are other girls!" Joey said.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, so young..." I said.  
  
Just then i heard somebody. footsteps. I turned around.   
  
There were three of them. One i recognized as this girl named Caitlin and her best friend Lauren. And this other boy was someone else i didn't know. But apparantly Joey did.  
  
"Hey joey!" said the boy.  
  
"Hey Kyle," said Joey.  
  
"Hey....um was it just me or did you see a flash in the sky?" the boy named Kyle asked.  
  
  
  
(Lauren)  
  
Me and Caitlin were just at the mall. She's kinda my best friend I guess. In any case, we hang out together a lot. We shopped for an hour, and made fun of people for about two hours. At about 8:30 the mall was closing, so we got our things together and started heading home. I had to go to the bathroom, and when I had gotten back, Caitlin was standing there with some guys from school: Kyle, Joey, Alberto, and James. Ok guys I guess. Although Alberto had a definate ego problem. After all, he had asked out what seemed like every girl in the school. None of them went out with him past one date.  
  
"Oh hey Lauren." James noticed me. After the usual greetings, Kyle looked up. "Is it just me or do you see a flash in the sky?" "What, are you an UFO freak?" Joey ragged on him. "Oh come on Joey. Kyle knows there's no such thing right?" Caitlin retorted. To break up the fight I knew was coming, like an idiot I said "Well we might as well check it out, that field's the quickest way through to our houses anyway."   
  
I still think about that. About the nightmare I had from the previous night about a field and a box. About the 6 of us being there. I guess I was a total idiot not to run away when I knew something was going to be happening in that field. Too late now.   
  
"Um...that looks like a flying saucer actually." said James.  
  
"Ok," said Alberto. "Now James is loco."   
  
I laughed, but then suddenly it started coming lower and lower and lower. It was no flying saucer. But it looked definitely like a spaceship.  
  
  
  
  
(Caitlin)  
  
I stood there for what seemed like hours and just watched the space ship hover from above. It still didn't penitrate my mind what that was, what it would make me become.  
  
Everyone stood perfectly still as the U.F.O landed right in front of us. No one even dared to breath as the outline of the alien figure emerged from the opening doorway.  
  
It seemed ironic in my mind, all my life I had wanted to be something more than what i origonally was. I always longed for something more in life and here it was literally staring me in the face...with all four eyes. No! I'm serious, it had four eyes. Two of them were located where they were supposed to be, on the face but the other two were placed on top of these stalk like things that seemed to move around and look everywhere.  
  
"Is anyone else here majorly freaked out?" I whispered, not even sure if i said it aloud or just to myself. The alien looked like a cross between a centaur and a scorpian. It's upper body was built like a human's except for the stalk eyes...and no mouth. But the tail was that like a scorpian's, majorly sharp and swift but also graceful and peaceful looking. "I would take that as a yes..." I said while looking at the alien stumbling towards us.  
  
  
  
  
(Alberto)  
  
"Um......Why is that horse blue?" Joey asked.  
  
"Maybe it's just REALLY cold," said Lauren.  
  
We all just kinda shrugged. But Joey just went up to the blue horse thing.  
  
"Hello," he said.  
  
said the thing.  
  
Whoa. What the? I heard it. But i didn't hear it. It was like it was coming telepathically.  
  
"Is it just me or am i hearing voices in my head?" I asked.  
  
"You've always had voices in your head," said James.  
  
Everyone snickered. I ignored them.  
But then i remembered something.   
  
"Where's the hot chick?" I asked.  
  
And outta nowhere SHE appeared.  
  
The Hot chick.  
  
She was holding something that looked like a phaser from Star Trek. Which i don't watch i might add. I didn't mean to watch the marathon! It was by accident!  
  
Anyway....She pointed the phaser at the telepathic thing.  
  
"Welcome to Earth Andalite, it's a shame you won't live long enough for souvenier shoppping," she said.  
  
(Helen)  
  
My name is Helen. I knew i shouldn't have been walking through this contruction site but i had to get home fast. I was late as it was.  
  
I just kept running and runnning and i thought i saw some people up ahead.  
  
"Ooof!" i accidentily crashed into some girl ina mini-skirt, and she dropped something that looked like a gun or something. I got up from tripping and looked up to see some faces. I even recognized some of them. alberto, the egotistic joker. James, his more responsible best friend. And Lauren who was in one of my classes. But then i noticed a blue horse thing, and it's spaceship? I must've crashed into the girl harder than i thought.  
  
"Hi," i said weakly.  
  
The mini-skirt got up. the boy named joey, and James tackled her down while Lauren's friend picked up the gun-like thing.  
  
Alberto then noticed me, "2 more girls?! My luck gets better second. Excluding the fact that there' an Alien thing in front of me."  
  
The horse thing sighed. Well i think it was a sigh. a voice said from no where.  
  
James and Joey let go of the mini-skirt girl, and charged right at the horse thing. She took out another one of those phaser-like things and aimed it at the blue thing.   
  
then faster than the eye could see her hand got cut off all of a sudden and i heard a charging up of some weapon.   
  
TSEEW!  
  
I looked at it was Lauren, she fired the weapon, i looked back horrified to see that the mini-skirt was no more..... 


	4. Encounter

****

Caitlin

I found myself walking closer to the alien being, pushing some girl that went to my school up to him with me. It's not like I couldn't stop but there was just something that drew me to him.

Do not be afraid my children. He warned us as he took a long stride towards us. He seemed so scared and helpless, as though he was dying... I'm not here to harm... He grasped his side and fell, stumbling down the rest of the ramp and landing on the ground in front of us.

"Are you alright?" I broke out of my trance and ran to the fallen Andalite's side. .

"You're bleeding!" Helen cried as she looked around to try to find something to help stop the bleeding.

"Alberto! Give us your sweatshirt!" Alberto looked at Elli shocked.

"I JUST got this!! Look at it! It has Britney on it!!!" but before he could finish his point, James and Joey had puled off his sweatshirt and thrown it to us.

"Thanks." I replied as I grabbed the shirt. "Well, what do we do?" I looked at Helen for an answer.

"Why are you looking at me?! I'm not Ca..." She lost her trail of thought and looked at us blankly. "Uh think we have to tie it around him, put some pressure on the wound."

It's no use... The andalite gestured and looked at us, looked at all of us with all four of his eyes. They're coming...

****

Joey

'Who are they?' I wondered.

They are Yeerks, parasites. They have invaded your planet, enslaving humans by the thousands

Alberto looked thoughtful. 'Erm, excuse me, Mr. Alien, sir. But wouldn't we have like, SEEN these Yeerks?'

You do not understand

'That makes two of us' I mumbled, a couple of us giggled nervously.

They are just like worms, really. They enter the ear and take control of the creature's brain. You cannot tell who is a host, or controller.

Suddenly, a projection came into my mind. It wasn't words, it was a picture! It showed slugs, Yeerks presumably, swimming in a...Yeerk Pool! The information flowed into my head. I saw the Andalite, Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, I saw Visser 3, the evil Andalite-controller, I saw Taxxons and Hork-Bajir. Vile looking worms, and walking razor blades. Then the images stopped.

The Andalite's eyes gleamed brightly. Eager to show us this help he would provide.

He looked as if he were concentrating, and, suddenly. A small compartment slid out of his ship, on the stand was a small blue box. Very plain, very simple.

Touch it...

'What? What is it?'

It is a technology the Andalite's alone possess. I would normally not allow you to use it, but the situation is too desperate.

What technology?'

The power to morph, to change into any animal. You need only to touch an animal, to absorb it's DNA. 

Then, just think about becoming it, and you will morph into that animal.

It wasn't real, it couldn't be real! 

There is one danger, never remain in morph for more than 2 Earth hours!

'Why' Alberto smirked, then said in a horror-movie voice. 'do you get trapped forever, never to become human again...'

Precisely

All the laughter drained from our faces, We shuddered at the thought of being trapped as a fly, or a cockroach. Or worse...

It is your only hope, but of course, you must keep it a secret, if the Yeerks found it... He let the idea hang in the air.

I considered, for a brief moment, we were the very last hope of the human race...

"I'm in," I said.

We all said it simultaneously. We all agreed, we had to, for our planet.

Then touch the box 

One by one, we pressed our human hands against the box. A blue hand brushed against mine, as it went to touch the box.

It is done

A tingle ran through me, pleasurable, I suppose. But after that brief moment of happiness, I suddenly felt Fear and dread.

Yeerks, The Andalite said with hatred. I glanced up at the sky, and saw four small red dots, and one larger, lance across the sky. I was terrified.

But our terror was just beginning.

****

Lauren

The red dots in the sky came closer.

RUN! THE YEERKS ARE HERE!!! The Andalite shouted. 

"Wait, what's going to happen to you?" I said, panicked. The Andalite seemed to smile. I will die. The Yeerks will leave nothing behind except this morphing cube. Now run! Joey seemed to snap out of it. "He's right! Let's go!"

They all ran except for me. The Andalite 'smiled' at me again. No matter what happens young girl, keep the faith in your friends, and yourself. Then he closed his eyes, and images came into my head, too many to sort out. Shocked I started running toward where the others were hiding behind an unfinished wall just as the ships started landing.

The first things that came out were like huge black centipedes. 10 feet long, as wide as a tree around, and with 4 huge, red, jello like eyes. Those are Taxxon controllers. The Taxxons are the only species as a whole to submit willingly to the Yeerks. About 30 of those came out, before another started coming.

This species was about 7 feet tall with tough brown hide all over. They were looking all around, their heads supported by a snake like neck. The thing that really stood out though was that they were covered in blades. Head, arms, legs, tail, chest, they were all over. Hork-Bajir controllers. The Hork-Bajir were originally a good race before being infested. "Yeah good at being able to kill people. Look at them, they're walking Swiss Army knives." Alberto whispered to my right. Shhhh!!! Stay quiet. The Hork-Bajir can't see well at night, but they have very good hearing.

Then HE came out. He was like our Andalite, except he radiated pure evil. Visser Three, The Andalite informed us, with hatred. He's your enemy. The leader of the Yeerk Invasion on Earth. The only Andalite controller. Visser Three came close to the Andalite.So, here's the famous Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul. Well I must admit you fought bravely. 8 ships down in the space battle. But you have lost. Your troops are gone, and by the time more get here, I will have control of this planet.

been, and another Andalite where James was. When I looked down at myself, I saw feathers covering me and instead of feet, talons. Kyle had almost a light surrounding him, and looked different, but familiar. But when I looked back up, my friends were back.

Then, Visser Three started to change. He grew taller, some of his legs and his tail disappeared, his arms strengthened until a monster was standing there. Then he picked up Elfangor. Elfangor tried to fight back, his tail striking wherever it could, but it was no use. Visser Three raised him over his head, opened his mouth, dropped him in, and ate him. Elfangor cried out right before he died. I will always remember that cry.

I put my head in my hands and started crying.

****

Joey

'Ghafrash Visser! Nodoni voices!'

Everyone went silent. 

Find them! Kill them!

We all stared in disbelief, Elfangor, dead. 

'H-he's...gone' Caitlin whispered. 'No...'

'Shh!' James hissed 'stay low, get over to that shack...'

He pointed to an old wooden building, if we could just get there, we'd be safe. I shuffled along on my knees, Alberto and Caitlin behind me. Maybe we could get away from this...no, it wasn't a nightmare. I pinched myself just to make sure, it stung. This was real...

Suddenly, the sound of flesh scraping across the ground! It was too loud, the Yeerks would hear!

Over there! By the shack! yelled the Visser, Find them!Hork-Bajir feet pounded across the ground. I looked round, they were heading right for us!

'Run!' 

I always considered myself pretty fast. Unfortunately, Hork-Bajir are faster.

I knew they were gaining on us, the pounding got louder, we were tiring. Our pursuers weren't.

I cut in between two buildings, and jumped clear over a pile of boxes, the two Hork-Bajir following me ploughed right through them. Someone screamed, what had happened to the others!?

The Hork-Bajir were gaining, I snaked around the corners, but I couldn't shake them. Suddenly, a figure stepped out in front of me.

Alberto!

He saw the Hork-Bajir, and bolted left, I went right. The aliens hesitated.

'Farlit that way!'

One of the Hork-Bajir went after Alberto, the other followed me. Left, left, right, left. No matter where I went, he was always on my tail. 

A fork! Up ahead, I turned right, and said a word I'd rather not repeat.

In front of me was a solid, brick, wall.

The creature smiled evilly....or at least I think it was a smile. Then he struck! His blade stopped centimeters from my neck.

There was no way to fight it, no way to get away...no solution...

Then I remembered what the Andalite had said...To acquire an Animal's DNA, you only need to touch it...

It was a weak thread to hang by, but I wasn't exactly going to have any other chance. The Hork-Bajir brought back his wrist, the blade was curved and sharp. My only chance... I grabbed his arm, narrowly avoiding yet another set of blades. The Hork-Bajir looked startled, and then...I felt something flow through me, flowing from the tips of my fingers. Through my body...and the Hork-Bajir just stopped. His eyelids drooped, and he slumped forward. Was he...dead? No matter what he'd done, I didn't want to kill him. No! He stirred, I breathed a sigh of relief, and bolted out of there. I was tired, but I sprinted as far as I could from that nightmare. Into my house, and slammed the door shut. I was safe...

For now.


	5. Morphing

****

Caitlin

I climbed out of bed and walked to the door, rubbing my eyes as I walked. My hand touched the door just as it burst open. "AAH" I jumped back and landed on my ass. I looked up and saw Lauren standing there, looking excited. "Sure, come in you're not imposing at all." I mumbled as I struggled to get up.

Lauren quickly shut the door behind her an started pacing back and forth. "I did it!" She said excitedly.

"Did what?" I yawned as I sat on my desk chair and started brushing the knots out of my hair.

"I morphed! I was petting my dog and he got really quiet, then before I knew it I was becoming him!!!"

"What the hell are you talking about Lauren." I yawned and looked in the mirror where I saw a small scrape under my eye and a bruise on my neck. I didn't remember having them last night when I was walking home form the....

`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

The Hork-Bajir chased us down the path, me, Alberto, and Joey. These guys might be big but they were fast and seemed like they were gaining on us. Alberto turned down the path to the left, with one Hork-Bajir still on his tail and the other two after Joey and me.

Joey made a left into some building but I kept running straight ahead. I could almost see the street lights through the bushes and trees. Andalite Scum... the voice echoed through my mind as I jumped out into the lighted sidewalk where the aliens hopefully wouldn't follow me.

I landed face first on the sidewalk. My cheek stung and my neck hurt, I could already feel the cuts and bruises forming but I had to keep going, what if they were still following me?

I got up as fast as I could and climbed the nearest fence, I saw and took the back way home.

`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"No..." I looked at Lauren scornfully, as if I was blaming her for this. "That didn't happen last night." 

"But it did and we all have to deal." Lauren said, her face darkening with the thought. "But I got show you my morph!" She added happily

****

Lauren

I was ecstatic. Everything that Elfangor said was true! I now could turn into my Border collie, Jackie. Caitlin was looking at me like she wished she could be anywhere but in her room with me. 

"No seriously Caitlin, I really can do it. What had happened was this: After my mom yelled at me, and then went off to smoke something, and Jackie, my dog, came over for reassurance. So I was petting her and thought, 'Why the hell shouldn't I try?' So I just kinda focused my eyes and she got all quiet and calm and then was happy again. And then I just focused on being her...and morphed. And it was so awesome!"

"Look Lauren, I'm glad that you're happy and stuff, but..how do I know that you're not playing me?" I looked at her hard. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?" She kinda looked at the floor. I didn't need to hear anymore. "Well then I'll just prove it to you," and started focusing on Jackie's morph. "Lauren...." she started and then stared.

I looked down. My legs and arms were sprouting white fur, and my hair was changing from brownish to black. My face bulged out as my nose became a snout. My bones started to shift and shrink. My backbone lengthened as I grew a tail, and my knees and arms changed direction.

I fell to the ground, still morphing. My nails and fingers shrank as my hands became paws. My ears became triangular and larger and traveled up my head. My vision changed. I no longer could see as clearly. And all the while I was sprouting black and white fur all over. And the smells!!! I could smell everything. I knew that Caitlin hadn't showered when she got home. I could smell that her mom had made waffles. It was incredible.

I looked back up at her, and could tell that the morph was complete. I was now Jackie, an 8 year old, spastic, insecure, loving Border collie.

NOW do you believe me? 

Caitlin just looked in awe. "You mean...I could...we could all do that??!! AMAZING!" 

I expected her to freak out, but instead of that she started to get excited. she was practically glowing with enthusiasm.

"We've gotta meet with the others," she said. 

Yeah, good idea. Call Joey. Tell him to round the others, and fast! I replied.

****

Joey

I rubbed my eyes, it was 9 AM. 

But Lauren and Caitlin didn't look tired in the slightest.

Alberto started the conversation. 'So, could you please remind me WHY we're here?'

'Here' was an abandoned shack out in the woods, Alberto, and James used to hang out there. They'd decided it was a good place to meet up. Caitlin smiled, she's kinda cute when she does that. 'Remember last night. When...'

'Britney slapped Letterman on live TV?' Alberto interrupted. We all laughed, but then we got down to business again.

'Actually, when the Andalite gave us all the morphing power?'

Dumb question, how could anyone forget?

'Well, it's true. All of it.'

It all sank in. It was true, the planet was being invaded, and we were the only ones that could stop it.

'Lauren came and saw me this morning, I didn't want to believe it, but then...well, show them.'

Lauren closed her eyes, as if she were focusing, concentrating on something. Then she began to change.

It wasn't pretty. Going from human girl to golden Labrador. Her skin started to change colour, and her legs...well, they just shrunk. She toppled backwards, Caitlin caught her. A chill ran up my spine, it was really creepy. Her fingers melded together to become paws, her body had completely changed, but...her head was still totally human.

'Oh, god!' James yelled, 'That is weird!'

A quick look at Alberto told me he thought the same thing. When I looked back, Lauren was fully morphed. A Golden Labrador, to be precise. Then came the next surprise.

Can you guys hear this?

It was a shock, then again, it wasn't exactly the first shock we'd had. I was still getting over the fact that she'd morphed!

'Yeah, we can hear you.' James replied. 

This is so cool, I mean, the morphing part is gross, but, when you're the animal, it's just so great!

Caitlin continued, 'We worked out that the animal instincts are in with the morph, you have to control them before you can really use the morph properly.'

I nodded, not really listening, I was just thinking, I'd acquired the Hork-Bajir's DNA earlier, so...

'Um, guys? Do you mind if I try?'

They all turned to stare at me.

'Well, last night, I, er, managed to acquire a Hork-Bajir, I was thinking, maybe I could try it out, now.'

'Sure, I don't see the problem.' Said James, 'Go ahead.'

'OK,' I said, 'Here goes...'

I focused on the Hork-Bajir, I focused on it's shape, the blades, the head, everything. 

Then the changes began.

Everyone stared, eyes wide. I suddenly felt something...

SCHLOOP! My tail! A tail just exploded out of my body, I started to grow taller, and then...

Stop!

Lauren. I looked at her, maybe with Hork-Bajir eyes, I don't know.

Well, Caitlin and I discovered that, well...when we morph back, you kinda...don't have clothes anymore. If you're wearing something really tight, then you morph straight into it, but if you grow anymore, you'll shred your clothes, and...It could be a little embarrassing.

I suppose I was still mostly human, so I could still speak.

'So how do I change back?'

Just focus on your own human body. You'll be done in no time.

I focused on myself, and sure enough, I felt the changes, My tail started to snake back into my body, I stated to shrink down again, and within 30 seconds, I was myself again.

"Well, that was cool, but I think we need a few more animals for this."

Alberto nodded, "The Gardens?"

I winked at him, "Yep, the gardens"'


	6. At The Gardens

****

Alberto

"Um...you know...I kinda forgot my wallet at home..." I started.

"Just like you did the last 5 times we were here, dun worry, I'll pay for you. Again," said James.

Now I got that over with...I started to wonder if i was insane. I mean...I just saw people turn into dogs, and walking Swiss army knives, and now they want me too!

Well the hell with that, I thought. I'm leaving.

"Okay…we're here," said Helen.

"Crap," I said.

"We're lucky Kyle's dad, and Helen's mom works here," said Lauren.

"Oh goody," I replied.

"Be quiet Marco," said Joey.

Silence.

"Marco? Um... have you been drinking or something?" I asked him.

"Hey! Shut up Alberto!" said James.

"Nevermind, let's just go inside," Joey continued.

So we followed Helen and Kyle to get back behind the exhibits.

They led us down a straight pathway. Helen whispered something to Kyle, and Kyle nodded.

They stopped n front of a door.

"This is the gorilla exhibit, anyone wanna try?" asked Helen.

"They're an extremely powerful morph," Kyle said.

"I'm not afraid of no monkey, I'll go," I volunteered.

Kyle and Helen just wore looks of concern.

"Um..." said James and Joey together.

They knew something. I could tell.

I shrugged.

Helen then went up to Caitlin. "You have an apple, right?"

Caitlin nodded. 

"Then give him the apple," Helen told her.

Caitlin threw the apple to me. I caught it.

I stepped inside the exhibit. I didn't expect to find much. But then i found an enormous thing. With arms and muscles bigger than my head!

"Oh crap," I said to myself.

"Hand him the apple! So he won't rip your arms off!" said James.

He was enjoying me do this.

"Ha ha ha, and also, ha," i said.

The gorilla looked at me, I looked at him.

He looked at the apple. I gave him the apple nervously, but then I grabbed his arm.

"Concentrate abut him!" yelled Lauren.

"Shuddup! shuddup! shuddup!" I cried nervously.

But then I started to concentrate.

I felt the gorilla just collapse and kinda fell into a trance.

Then I ran like hell.

I saw them all laughing at me. I didn't find it very funny.

"Let's move onto the next exhibit," said Joey.

But just then,

"HEY! YOU KIDS! You're not allowed to be here!" said a voice.

It was a security guard. We ran till we hit a four way hall.

"Split up," said James.

"Yeah, we'll meet together at the front gate," said Joey.

Joey, James, and me turned left. Lauren, Kyle, Caitlin, Helen, turn right. Unfortunately the guard chose to chase after us.

"It's official," i said while running.

"We're risking our lives to fight some alien worms, and also risking to be arrested! We're totally Wacko! Insane! Maniac!" I said.

"Congratulations Alberto," Joey said.

"You've figured it out," continued James.

"I find no humor in that." I said.

We came across to a golf cart.

"Let's take it!" I said.

"Why?" asked Joey.

"If we don't then he will," I said.

"Good point," said James 

****

Joey

SCREEK!

"And you said I'd been drinking?"

'Shut up, Joey, I'm trying to drive here!'

I tutted, 'Trying ain't gonna do it.'

Alberto glared at me, and slammed into another pile of boxes. They clattered all over us. One of them burst open, sending packs of something all over the floor.

'Did I mention that James should have driven this thing?'

Alberto swerved, and pushed me in the chest, I went rolling out of the golf cart, and slammed into the wall. Alberto sped off, until, I'm assuming James did this, the cart suddenly screeched to a halt, then started reversing. I clambered back in, and sneered at Alberto. The delay gave just enough time for...

'Hey, you kids! Stop!'

Oh great. Two guys in security uniforms, in a golf cart. Normally, I'd have said we'd have had an even chance, with Alberto driving?

'We're screwed.'

We tore out of there! The other golf cart hot on our tail. We swerved round a corner, narrowly missing scraping yet another wall.

'Mr. Ganucci, we're being tailed by the heat.' Alberto yelled, a tinge of Italian in his voice. I couldn't help but laugh.

'Pull over!'

I couldn't resist it. Hey, if Alberto got to be funny...

'But officer, this ain't even my car! I don't know where the crack came from, either!'

Alberto was getting better, but they were still staying with us. It reminded me of the Hork-Bajir chasing me the previous day.

'Take a left!...Now straight ahead! Left! LEFT!'

James was barking out orders, not that it made any difference, they were still staying with us, or were they?

'Yes!' I yelled, 'We're losing them!'

Famous last words. At that precise moment, the cart decided to spin madly, we slammed into a wall. The security guards were closing in, and there was a small metal door in front of us.

Guess where we went?

CLANG!

'Whew! That was close!' James sighed.

I stared around the room, ignoring the guards banging on the door outside.

'Um, in case you haven't noticed, we're in a cage...'

Alberto looked around nervously. 'That means...there's something in here?'

I pointed to the familiar looking footprints.

'Yep, and since I've got a morph, you've got a morph, and that this thing scares the crap out of me, I suggest James acquires it.'

****

James

It was staring right at me. Orange and black. Full of strength and power. A Siberian tiger.

"Acquire it, so i can get the hell outta here," said Alberto.

I rolled my eyes. Alberto was never patient. I gulped. I moved closer towards it. It made no movement. It just stared at me.

I touched his forehead very, very gently. It started to growl a little bit. 

"Concentrate! Don't worry it's not that hard even though you're this close to being the cat's lunch, and dinner. and possibly desert," taunted Alberto.

This was his revenge for me taunting him. At least his creature didn't have teeth. I concentrated nonetheless. All of a sudden he started to go quiet. "How long is he in a trance for?" i whispered to Joey and Alberto.

No answer.

I turned back, and I saw Alberto and Joey already running. I rolled my eyes, but started to sprint after them too. Suddenly I saw a flash of Orange and black. Another tiger? Of course! There's more than one tiger in a exhibit! I caught up to Alberto and Joey. They had found a ladder, that brought them up to another doorway. 

"Thanks, for sticking with me Alberto," I said sarcastically.

"Hey! I wasn't thinking of myself! I was thinking of all the billions of girl who would be disappointed by my death," Alberto replied.

"Your mom, doesn't count as one billion," I stated back.

We got up the ladder and went through the doorway. Luckily it was a doorway to the outside park, NOT another exhibit. We ran towards the entrance hoping to meet with Helen and the others.

****

Lauren

Helen, Caitlin, Kyle, and I looked at Alberto, James, and Joey being chased by the fat security guards. Finally Helen spoke up. "You think they'll be ok?" "Oh yeah," Kyle reassured her. "A couple of fat guards vs. 3 young, reasonably in shape kids. They'll be alright." "Come on! I want to get a morph!" Caitlin said impatiently.

"Well, we got cats down to the right, African animals behind us..." Kyle rattled off. "What's that?" Caitlin interrupted, peering through a doorway. I shouldered her aside and looked for myself. And promptly turned slightly green. It was a bear. A big-ass bear. "Girl, please don't tell me that you want to acquire that…thing." I said. She just gave me an insane grin back. "I'll take that as a yes." I said.

"Oh, the grizzly bear? Good choice." Helen said. Kyle opened the doors and we stepped through. God it looked even bigger close up. "Here, wait until I say go, then go and touch it, and concentrate real quick. It should go into a trance giving us time to leave." Helen explained. "What do you mean, if? They better be right." Caitlin grumbled, but got into position anyway. About 10 seconds later, "GO!!" 

She ran forward and placed her hand on the shaggy fur. The grizzly started to turn around, but then got limp and complement as she concentrated. She pulled away, and after Caitlin had looked at it one more time, we tore out of there like a bat out of hell. "YEAH BABY!!!" Caitlin crowed. I hushed her, and we moved on.

After repeating the process twice: the first time for Kyle to get a hyena morph, and the second time for Helen to get a leopard morph, it was my turn.

We kinda wandered around for a bit looking at the various morphs when I saw the one I wanted to have. It was like Helen's leopard except there was white where there should be orange-brown, it was slightly larger, and had shaggier fur. "That one," I said pointing to the graceful cat.

Kyle looked at it. "Serefina, our snow leopard. We're loaning her to the other zoo for about 2 months. Nice." He opened the cage. "After you madam."

I stepped inside and looked at her. She had long shaggy white fur, with the same spots that the leopard had. She was about 8 feet long and at least up to my chest standing up. She woke up and looked at me with clear blue eyes. I took that as my cue to acquire her. It went off without a hitch, but for a moment I just looked at her, like the others had. Just trying to come to terms with the fact that now, Serefina was a part of ME. I had a lot of research to do on her species now. "Lauren, we need to go," Caitlin said quietly from the doorway. "Ok," I responded just as quiet.

"We have to meet up with James and the others at the front gate remember?"

For a minute we just looked at each other. Kyle looked at his watch. "Want to look at the dolphin show while we wait for the others to catch up?" "Alright," I said. Caitlin added, "Maybe we can acquire one of those..." 

"CAITLIN!!!" we all yelled.

"Alright, just a suggestion..."

****

Caitlin

We left the gardens and headed our separate ways after we all got our morphs and decided to hook up later that night at Kraterz for fun, and part meeting.

"Caitlin, someone named Helen is on the phone." My mom opened my door and threw the cordless phone to me. 

"Thanks." I replied as i got up to close the door.

"Caitlin?"

"Hey Helen." I switched to Buffy and turned up the volume. "Whassup?"

"Well I was wondering if you could drive me to Kraterz tonight, my mom has to work late tonight and won't get home until midnight."

"Sure, My mom will drive you."

"K, thanks, see you then!" She said excitedly as i hung up the phone and spun the chair around to face my open closet.

"What to wear.....?"

~~~~~~~~~~Later That Night~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This place is awesome, how did you find out about it?" Lauren asked happily, we had been at Kraterz for about an hour or so now, and were on our second game of Laser Tag.

"Charge your weapons......AND GET READY TO ANNHILATE THE ENEMY" The voice boomed through the loud speakers as we all ran up and started 'shooting' each other.

I ran up to the front of the line and hit Alberto in the back. The little siren went off and he turned around and faced me "Hey!" He yelled as he and James ran after me. 

"Can't cross the line." I stated blindly.

When the game ended the stage was cleared and tables were placed along the walls. I found a big one and waited for everyone else to find their was over there.

"Hey guys." They all arrived in a big bunch and quickly crammed the table.

"So, are we going to start this meeting or what?" Helen asked, her eyes suddenly widening as she looked right behind me. 

"What, what's wrong?" Lauren asked, looking behind us.

"Nothing...thought I saw something, well anyway. What are we going to do now?"


	7. A blue box

My name is Daniel.

Anyways,I had just moved into town,I didn't know anyone there or anyplace to meet people so I chose what looked like a good starting place, 'Kraterz' ,it was a laser tag arena and 

it looked popular.

So I go in and pay the guy at the counter, he tells me that the next game is starting in five minutes so I go into this room where you suit-up in the laser tag gear.

There was some kids in there that were about my same age, one of them said some sort of snide remark to a girl that was next to him.

I took my gear from the rack and put it on,one of the guys that worked there poked his head around the door and yelled,"Are you guys gonna play or what? It's almost dance time so hurry up!"

All of the players lined up in the room,I charged my weapon as a loud voice over a loudspeaker said,"Charge your weapons.....AND GET READY TO ANNHILATE THE ENEMY!"

The room filled up with simulated fog and loud music started to play. The game was over pretty soon and my team lost but it really didn't matter.

As I was walking out of the arena, I overheard some kids talking about rampaging yeerks, I disregarded it and continued leaving. As I left I heard this one kid say something like "Alberto's morphing squad", I got away from them quickly because they seemed at the time a bit off there rockers.

As I was walking home through an unfamiliar town, I got lost and accidentaly walked through some sort of construction site.

I kept walking through it,a bit uneasy to stop because who knew who was hiding in the bushes. I was walking very fast when my foot caught something and I fell hard to the ground.I regained the breath that was knocked out of me and looked to see what tripped me.

Burried halfway in the dirt was a blue cube,curiously I dug it up and examined it.It had some sort of odd writing on it and I thaught it was some sort of strange box.

As I picked it up I felt a strange vibration go through me,almost like a mild electric jolt.The feeling left and deciding that it was a cool piece of whatever,so I put it in my backpack and eventually found my way home.

I was gonna make sure to carry this thing with me wherever i went. It seemed much more than it appeared to be.....

****

Joey

This is amazing! So cool! Best thing I've done in my life! I yelled to no-one.

I've been in 747's, I've been in helicopters, hell, I've flown from New York to London on Concorde, that thing does mach 2. But I have never, ever had any experience more exhilarating than flying over the city in my Swainson's hawk morph. The others had all apparently got bird morphs, but I hadn't seen them yet.

I caught a breeze of air under my wings and soared upwards. Then I spotted Kraterz, I was still miles away, yet I could see it perfectly. The flying was cool, the eyes were cool, could this get any better?

I spotted a squirrel scurrying through the grass nearby, I stared a hole through it with my laser-eyes. 

Whoa! Snap out of it, Joey-boy!

I felt kinda sick, I'd let the animal's instincts get the better of me. I'd almost considred eating that squirrel...

I landed in a secluded area, surrounded by bushes. I morphed back, I'd taken Lauren's advice and gotten myself a 'morphing suit'.

Tasteless bike shorts and skintight way to small shirt. Fortunently, I'd planned it all out. I picked up the carrier bag with my now human hands, and pulled out something a little more tasteful. OK, this is going on MY dress sense. But I thought it was tasteful, at least.

We'd already been to Kraterz, but that wasn't where I was headed. After Kraterz, we were going to have a meeting, but we decided to relocate it to the shack in the woods where we'd met last time. We were finishing that off tomorrow. The thing is, after that meeting, I'd gone off into the library, to research an essay I neede to do, I thought I'd spotted something strange.

I sat there again, looking at the same book, same place, right near the counter. I glanced up over the cover, and saw a guy carrying three books uner his arm...yes! Exactly the same combination! I slid the book back into the shelf and went over to the restroom. I shoved my outer clothing into the bag and began to morph.

It was a morph I hadn't practised, I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it. But I needed something that was fast, and wasn't going to look too suspicious.

First, I started to shrink, it wasn't like becoming a bird. This was shrinking in overdrive! My eyes were the last to change. So I still had pretty good vision.

I wish I'd been blind right then.

My arms split open! They seperated and a brown-armour-like shell started to grow around them. Antennae shot out of my head! Finally, the morph was complete, I was a cockroach.

Now, acquirring the thingwas disgusting, becoming one was nauseating. But being one wasn't so bad. The instincts kicked in, not much really, just basically telling me to stay away from the light, and any vibrations that could mean danger. Yeah, vibrations, turns out a roaches hearing isn't anything great. After a while though, I could hear the conversation of people outside in the main library. Alright I thought to myself Time to move. I motored away on my little roach legs. Man! They are fast! It's like taking a Porsche to top speed, then sitting on the roof. ZOOM! My little roach legs tore outta there! Under the door crack. The janitors closet was right next to me, was I too late? Had the morph taken too long?

BLUMP! BLUMP! BLUMP!

More vibrations, the roach brain panicked, but I knew what they were, footsteps. Assuming this was the guy, he was going to open the closet, walk right in, and then...Well, I didn't know what after that.

Let me just go back a bit. While in the library, I'd seen a suspicious looking guy, walk into the janitors closet. It's in the corner, and n-one ever really looks at it anyway. But I just looked up, and saw him.

I kept on watching various people walk up to the counter, and then go over to that closet. Then I ralised it. They were all carrying the same three books, every time!

It was surely a code or something, so I had to check it out...

And there I was, sneaking in behind the guy. He walked in, closed the door silently behind him, and tapped on the wall.

The roach went nuts! LIGHT! LIGHT! GO FROM THE LIGHT! RUN!

I stayed firm, but it was so sudden, poor little roach brain. The light must have scared the crap out of it.

And then came the sounds, the sounds that haunt me in my dreams to this day. The sound of a yeerk slug making a slave of an innocent human being. The screams, the cries for help, the despair.

I'd found the Yeerk pool.

****

Helen

Later that morning I had a phone call from Joey, I think he was tring to use a code or something. I didnt get what he was talking about, so I phoned Caitlin, who explained it a bit clearer. We were meeting @ the mall, apparently Joey had BIG news. Everyone made it except for James. 

I didnt like the sound of it.

20 minutes later we were all round the back of the mall.

"i've found the yeerk pool!" Shouted Joey, like this should mean something to us.

"The what?" I asked

"THE YEERK POOL!" Joey hissed impatiently, Lauren nodded thoughtfully.

"The what?" I repeated

"You know where the yeerks go to feed + stuff," Explained Lauren

"The wha..." Started Alberto

"DONT say it," cut in Caitlyn glaring at Me + Alberto.

"So, whats it got to do with us?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Asked Joey

"Its obvious isnt it? We've got to do something, the andalite gave us these powers so that..."

"We could save the world?" I asked

"Come on, all we're going to do is get ourselfes killed!"

"Well, YOU dont have to come, but i'm going, whos with me?"

Everyone looked at the ground + shuffled their feet.

"Well this is just great," muttered Joey

"well of course i'll come" said Caitlin

"+ me!" said Kyle

"count me in" said Lauren

Soon everyone had agreed, they looked at me expectantly.

"i have but one question......"

****

Alberto

What's a Yeerk pool?" i asked.

Everyone glanced at each other.

"Hmm, good question," said Joey.

"We should wait for James," said Lauren.

"Yeah, and then you can tell me what the hell you guys are talking about. I'm wasting my time here with you when i could've used this time for chicks to admire me," i said.

"Shut up Alberto," everyone said.

Meanwhile........

James was late for the meeting, but he couldn't help it that he had to pick up his little sister. 

He was running full speed to the meeting place, but then he got tired and had to walk.

He sat down on a curb, and waited there till he caught his breath.

But then he saw someone come by.

James' eyes were wide open.

It was a boy. About his age.

But he wasn't looking at the boy.

He was looking at the blue box the boy was holding.

The morphing cube.

A/N Yes, I know it's like the first book. It's supposed to be. It's where it all starts off. The copying of basic storylines are mostly over. This is where it gets a little too problematic for these new "Animorphs". Trust me. I know. We're already into Book #3 and it becomes way different. 


	8. Friend for the new boy

****

Daniel

It was Saturday night and I was walking to the mall because I couldn't find anyone to drive me there.

Anyways,I was holding the blue cube-thing that I had found the night before. It had some sort of writing on it that I couldn't recognize as anything I'd seen before. I momentarily looked up from examining the cube to see that some kid that was sitting on the curb was staring at the cube intensely. I tried to walk past the guy without having to confront him but he got up and said,"Hey,whats up? What's with the cube?"

Just then I seemed to remember him from last night when I was at the laser tag place. He was one of those crazy kids.

I tried to sound casual with him and replied,"Not much. I found it....."I tried to think of a cover,".....at a garage sale. It's one of those Rubic's Cube kind of puzzles."

He obviously saw that I was lying.He said,"Cool. I'll see ya later."

With that he started to walk away slowly and as he reached the corner,he ran off in a very hurried state.

I shrugged it off and kept walking to the mall. right then I decided that this was a very odd town. 

****

Lynne

Lynne was frustrated. This new club she had joined wasnt seeming like as much fun as she thought it would be. The Sharing was getting weird. They kept talking about how good it would be to 'be part of something bigger'.

She fidgeted in her seat at the meeting and just wanted to go home. But her older sister seemed to like coming here. Maybe it was because of Tom Berenson. Tom seemed to really like her sister. And they always sat together during the meetings. Lynne felt like a third wheel.

"...and now it is time. Will the ones who would like to be full members stand up?"

Lynne sighed. She wished she didn't HAVE to be a full member. She remembered her friend Kyle from school and wished she had managed to drag him here.

But lately, he seemed to be hanging with a new crowd of friends. Like those cool guys named James and Alberto. Well Alberto wasn't exactly cool, but he hung out with James so that gave him points. Plus those girls and some other guys. She didn't want to disturb them so she never approached Kyle when he was with them. They always seemed so tense. And that evening, walking to the meeting, she had seen James staring at this guy who had like a cube with him? What was so special about that cube anyway?

She felt a nudge in her ribs and saw her sister look at her expectantly. Oh yeah..

Lynne stood up and followed Mr. Chapman into a room. But when she stepped through the door and heard it slam shut behind her and saw some weird container with what looked like water snails in front of her, she realized that something was wrong...was she going to have to EAT those snails?

Mr. Chapman smiled. "You're going to enjoy being a full member, Lynne. You are in high school, I presume? Good, we need more student spies."

"Spies, sir?"

"Never mind. I'm sure you're going to enjoy being a full member, Lynne..."

****

1 hour later.......

Lynne is walking home when she passes a boy carrying a strange blue box. She smiled. He reluctantly smiled back.

All of a sudden Lynne tripped.

Daniel immediately came to help.

Daniel stuck out his hand and the girl took it but instead of pulling herself up, she gave a sharp tug and he came tumbling down next to her! He was shocked as the girl got up and brushed herself off.

"I'm sorry..haha, I couldn't resist!" she said. "Sorry is never a cure, I always say. I always get even.."

He got up and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He laughed,"I guess we're even now, rite? "She nodded, "Uh-huh. Now, excuse me, but I've got to get going." 

She spun on her heel and walked off. He wondered if he should catch up with her. She was the first semi-friendly person he had met in this town. He figured it didn't hurt to talk to her some more. But...as usual, he chickened out and decided to go home.

He left the mall entrance and started on his way home. Suddenly, he realized that there was someone walking about 10 meters in front of him. It was a girl definitely and he wasnt certain but it looked like the girl he tripped!

He walked on behind her for a while and she didn't seem to notice him, when suddenly she stopped in her tracks and spun around. 

"Are you following me?" she asked.

"No! I'm just going home, I swear!"

"What's your address?" she said suspiciously.

He told her and she laughed. "Well, I guess you're my new neighboor! I live across the street from you, two houses down!"

He smiled and, at an attempt to be a gentleman, he said,"May I walk you home then?" 

She laughed and said,"Sure!"

"So, what's your name? I'm Daniel. 

"They crossed the street and started walking to their neighbourhood.

"Daniel's a nice name. My name's Lynne."

"Lynne. Wanna see something interesting?" Daniel took out the cube from his backpack and showed it to her.

She smiled and said,"Hmm...I wonder what that is."He shrugged. "I dont really know."

They paused as they arrived at Lynne's house.

Lynne said bye, but then she turned around again and said,"Mind if I come over later?"

Daniel,"It's getting late..."

Lynne,"I'll only be a few minutes, I swear. I just want to have a good look at that box."

Daniel,"Sure..it is only 6:00 p.m.

Lynne, "Okay! I'll be over in a while!"


	9. Double trouble

****

Lauren

After a minute, Helen spoke up. "How exactly do you think the Yeerks are doing it?" "Doing what?" Alberto asked.

"You know, infesting people. I mean they can't exactly grab people off the street and shove a slug in their head. That would be just a little suspicious. So how are they getting people to infest?" After a silence, "Yet another good question." Joey responded.

Caitlin groaned. "This is going to be harder then I thought. I thought we would just get some morphs, find their headquarters, kick some ass, and they'd leave." "Well if the Andalites couldn't do it in a 3-2-1 process Hope, what made you think that we could?" Alberto asked rhetorically. "Shut up Alberto."

James came in right then looking grim. Joey took one look at him and said "Oh God, what now?"

After taking a breath James hit us with it: "I just saw this kid walking down the street with the blue box. You know, the one Elfangor gave us the powers with?" Yet another silence broken by Lauren. "Shit." "What she said." Caitlin added.

After catching James up on what they had discussed, Lauren jumped in again. "So what we have to do is, find out how the Yeerks are luring people in, find out what a Yeerk pool is, find out the way in, destroy whatever this Yeerk pool thingy is, and get back the morphing cube from this kid. Am I missing anything?" "Yeah that's about it," answered James. "You have a gift for simplicity Lauren." Kyle said wryly. "No, she forgot one thing." Alberto said. "What's that?" "We have to find some hot chicks too!"

Caitlin and Lauren turned to James and whined "Can we hit him now???"

****

James

Okay...so we have 2 missions i suppose," I said said to Kyle, Helen, and joey because Alberto was too busy running from Caitlin and Lauren.

"Yeah," said Joey. "But which one is more important? The cube? Or the pool?" wondered Joey.

Everyone just shrugged, they weren't sure. .

"Well, i guess we could split into 2 teams. One team go after the morphing cube, and another team goes to the Yeerk Pool,"I suggested.

"Yeah that seems alright," Kyle agreed.

"I don't know, that might be dangerous," said Helen. "What if we need backup?"

"Well we could just spy out instead of attacking it full force, it would give us a major advantage," said Joey.

I nodded. "Then it's agreed. I'll go with Helen and Alberto to get the morphing cube back from the kid, and the rest of you can go spy out the cavern. Cool?" said Jake.

Everyone nodded. 

"But how will you find the kid?" asked Kyle.

"Luckily i saw which way he went, i followed him a bit, i'm pretty sure i know what area he lives in," pondered James thoughtfully.

I looked at each of them. "Be careful. Don't do anything stupid."

They all had looks of bewilderment on their faces.

"Of course we're not gonna do anything stupid. Alberto's going with your team remember?" Kyle said.

Everyone smiled at that.

"Speaking of Marco...shouldn't we help him?" asked Helen.

"Don't worry, eventually Caitlin and Lauren will get tired," said Joey.

"Yeah but didn't anyone tell Alberto that Lauren and Caitlin are Cross country runners?" asked Helen.

"Nope," I said with a smile.

Meanwhile.....

In the Yeerk Pool. A young controller runs to tell Visser his findings.

"Visser! We have detected the escafil device is still active," declared a controller.

Very good, fool. I learned that 2 hours ago frommy other scientists, you are very slow, The first ever Andailite controller said. I have no need for people who don't progress.

SLASH!

Quick as lightning the tail blade of Visser 3 slashed and cut off the man's head.

Clean this mess up! Visser 3 ordered the nearby hork-bajir. I want that cube. Get it at all costs.

****

Daniel

I was in my room inspecting the box I had found. My dog Walton came into my room and sat on the floor wagging his tail with his tongue hanging out. I was petting him on the back when he whent limp and stopped wagging his tail. 

I was startled at this for a second but after a minute he came out of his trance and continued being his normal, happy self.

He left the room and I started to think about what happened to him. Just then,thick brown fur started to grow out of my hands and then spreaded out of my arms. I yelled in horror and closed my eyes.

When I opened them,I was back to my normal self. I looked at the small blue box and decided that I should put it somewhere safe.

Trying to forget about that,I went to the window and looked out. Up in the sky were 3 large birds of prey........ 

****

Agahim

I am Agahim two-three-double-six of the Fraten Hutt Pool. My rank is Sub-Visser 7. My twin is of fighting the war on Leera. My host? An adolescent Hork-bajir by the name of Haff Jekinpal. My host body is a fit

one, except he has scars across his chest, tail, right hand and left eye. All from battles I have fought.

I have had three other host bodies. A gedd, a second Hork-Bajir and a Human. The

Gedd was left behind me after I was promoted to Sub-Visser 34, the Human I did not

like for they are a weak species with no natural weapons, but I do however use this

female human host for times when I need to enter the human world, but this is not

often. She was called Rochelle or Rockie. As for the Hork-Bajir, she was killed in

battle, one of which I was recuperating from still now.

At the moment, I am blind. I can hardly hear. I am swimming in what appears to be

molten lead.

Suddenly, a disturbance! I echo-locate. I 'saw' the scared eye. Haff. My host. I swam

towards his ear canal. I felt with my palps. Yes! I could see again. I had physical

power.

Half was screaming. No matter.

The only thing about Hork-Bajir I dislike is the fact that you are not an andalite and

thus have no morphing powers. If only I could morph! I'm sure that if I could, I would ahigh ranking Visser at the very least! But I could never become morph capable. Never! Visser Three will always be my superiour and there is nothing I can do about that.

Morphing...........what a wonderful piece of technolegy!

I walked toward a 'bark dump' in a corner of the pool complex. I spoted Visser Three acting all tough in front of an inferiour Sub-Visser. Sub-Visser 34.

The Visser morphed!!! He morphed into a vanarax and succed the yeerk right out of the human hosts head!!!

Take her to the pool to be re-infested

He noticed me. He turned three of his eyes towards me as he demorphed. He knew!!! he knew I wished more than anything to morph and was rubbing it in my face! i stared back with my one good eye. Someday it would be me in that position.

Someday.......... 

****

Alberto

There. That's the kid, said James.

Me, James, and Helen were up above in the clouds in bird of prey morphs. With our lazer eye vision we spotted the blue box on his dresser. and luckily his window was open and all we had to do is wait for him to get out of the room.

Hey, i think he spotted us, I said.

The boy looked out the window and looked high into the sky straight at us. He had a look of suspicsion on his face, and closed the window.

Well, there goes that plan. Now what? I asked.

i dunno, said James. We could try morphing something small and sneak into his room?

Small? As in what? Flea small? You wish buddy. I'm not THAT insane, i said.

Helen sighed.

I hope Joey and the others are having better luck than us spying out the yeerk pool, said Helen. 

****

Helen

Me, Alberto + James landed on the top of the house.

What to do now? I asked

Well, we cant get through the window... so... lets try the door! Suggested James. He jumped of the roof + disappeared round the side of the house,

Its open, a women is watering the plants in the front He reported, We just need a morph that wont look suspisious dissapearing into the house, + we need it fast!

He landed back up on the roof + we sat there in silence, thinking...

Just please, don't, say bugs Said Alberto

No, not bugs I said, They'd take too long to get there... wouldnt they?

Wellll..... Said James Flys are pretty fast...

For a minute we considered this...

How about a......mouse? I asked hopefully.

A MOUSE??!! asked Alberto incredulously. Man our team sucks.

James sighed. I hope Joey's team has better luck than we are

****

Joey

I slid 'A study in Scarlet' back onto the shelf, It was kinda weird. Anyone who'd seen me carrying a Sherlock Holmes novel would have thought I was a geek. Obviously the Yeerks really hadn't thought out the choice of books. We all crowded into the janitor's closet, I rapped on the wall with my knuckles, the door slid open silently.

"Do we morph up here, or what?' Caitlin whspered.

"Check it out as humans first." I said. 

It was a question I'd been asking myself repeatedly, I'd decided on spying out as humans, before attacking. I stared down the now open path, it was just a long, steel ramp, with a hole of white light at the end. We didn't see any controllers walking up it, so I guess it was only an entrance, we'd have to find another way out.

We paced closer, the flash got brighter, and I saw glimpses of humans, but nothing could prepare me for the horror of the Yeerk Pool. It was huge! Just a huge cavern, it must have stretched under half the town!

We just stood and stared n disbelief, this was too big...

"No." I said under my breath, "No." 

"It's so big." Lauren said. "It's...too big."

The outside was full of buildings, not particularly big. But large in number. They surrounded the edge of the cavern, and a couple were standing in the middle, but the shock was the pool itself. It was just like a slightly smaller version of a normal pool, the kind you'd normally see kids messing around in. But the liquid was a sludgy grey, and swimming and jumping around in it were Yeerks. 

I'd seen one in the pictures the Andalite showed me, but in real life, it was different. These were real, and then my gaze was drawn to the true horrors. A steel pier, that stretched a quarter of the way out into the pool, and on that pier, a middle-aged man stood, two Hork-Bajir behind him. The man calmly dipped his head to one side, and out of it came a Yeerk. Slithering and worming it's way out of the man's ear. I screwed my eyes shut, I didn't want to see this. Then the man started screaming.

"HELP! HELP ME!" He yelled, tears brimming in his eyes. "LET ME GO! I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS TO ME!"

The Hork-Bajir just forced him off the pier, indifferent, they dragged him over to a cage and threw him in, along with 6 other people, a couple, hugging each other in their few moments of freedom, an old woman, a man in a police officer's uniform, a kid, my age. All yelling, or crying. Another cage, and another, full of slaves of the Yeerks.

They all had no hope, we were here to give them some. 

I watched, as the boy was taken from the cage, by 2 Hork-Bajir, they took him past a cage, full of other Hork-Bajir, stronger bars, of course. The creatures paced up and down, slashing their blades and bellowing in thick, fierce voices. The guards took the boy over to the second pier, and from this point, the memories will be branded onto my brain for eternity.

They grabbed the boy, one Hork-Bajir kicked his legs from under him, sending him slamming down onto the steel. The boy screamed one last time, tears rolling down his face, and then....his head went under the water, and after 2 seconds, he emerged, once again a slave in his own head. One of us started crying, I saw a human-controller glance our way, but he must have been busy, he walked past.

"Shh! I know it's tough, but you have to hold up." I don't know who I was saying it to, maybe I was even saying it to myself. Caitlin asked the question that we were all asking ourselves.

"How do we do it?" She said, shaking her head. "Joey, this is too big, we can't do this, just....turn back."

I nodded, and turned back to the entrance, and then stopped. A scream pierced the air, another person.... wasn't doing this? To save the planet?

"No."

Everyone turned to look at me.

"We're doing this, we have to."

Kyle nodded in silent agreement, one by one, they all realised. This wasn't a decision. This was a duty.

I had a plan, I just hoped it would work.

"We get over to one of those shacks," I announced, pointing. "Then we morph, best fighting animals, I'll be a Hork-Bajir, so I can spy out for us. If you guys cause some damage, I could work out how to destroy this place, plus, I could maybe grab a dracon beam." 

I was just making it up, to encourage the others. I never thought it would have been like this. I never thought I would be the one giving out the orders. But fate had played it that way, and I couldn't change it. 

"Our Animal morphs will be useless for attacking the pool itself, but a Dracon beam might do a lot better. Once the pool is gone, they can't feed, so..."

I stopped breathing. My eyes had just passed the second pier, and I'd seen...

"Joey, what?" Lauren's voice. "What then?"

No, it wasn't.....

It wasn't!

Caitlin grabbed my shoulder, 'What is it!?'

The woman, kneeling down on the pier, screaming for mercy was...

"Mom...."


	10. Attack of the Yeerk Pool

****

Agahim

I am Agahim two-three-double-six of the Fraten Hutt Pool. My rank is Sub-Visser 7. My twin is of fighting the war on Leera. My host? An adolescent Hork-bajir by the name of Haff Jekinpal. My host body is a fit

one, except he has scars across his chest, tail, right hand and left eye. All from battles I have fought.

I have had three other host bodies. A gedd, a second Hork-Bajir and a Human. The

Gedd was left behind me after I was promoted to Sub-Visser 34, the Human I did not

like for they are a weak species with no natural weapons, but I do however use this

female human host for times when I need to enter the human world, but this is not

often. She was called Rochelle or Rockie.

As for the Hork-Bajir, she was killed in

battle, one of which I was recuperating from still now.

At the moment, I am blind. I can hardly hear. I am swimming in what appears to be

molten lead. Suddenly, a disturbance! I echo-locate. I 'saw' the scared eye. Haff. My host. I swam

towards his ear canal. I felt with my palps. Yes! I could see again. I had physical

power.

Haff was screaming. No matter.

The only thing about Hork-Bajir I dislike is the fact that you are not an andalite and

thus have no morphing powers. If only I could morph! I'm sure that if I could, I would ahigh ranking Visser at the very least! But I could never become morph capable. Never! Visser Three will always be my supirior and there is nothing I can do about that.

Morphing...........what a wonderful piece of technology!

I walked toward a 'bark dump' in a corner of the pool complex. I spoted Visser Three acting all tough in front of an inferiour Sub-Visser. Sub-Visser 34. The Visser morphed!!! He morphed into a vanarax and succed the yeerk right out of the human hosts head!!!

Take her to the pool to be re-infested

He noticed me. He turned three of his eyes towards me as he demorphed. He knew!!! he knew I wished more than anything to morph and was rubbing it in my face! i stared back with my one good eye. Someday it would be me in that position.

Someday.....but until then. I had other business to attend to.

Unlike Visser 3, i wasn't a brute. I was smart and knew how to handle situations much better than he could. They're was something that the Visser did not know, but i did. Something that if i succeeded in retrieving would give me a major promotion, making me one step closer into becoming Visser 1.

And that was the fact that i knew the morphing cube of the beast Elfangor was still intact, and i had every intention to retrieve it.

****

Agahim

On my way down to the pier, I noticed three suspiocious lookin humans, but thought nothing of it. 

After returning to my host body, Haff, my Dracon Beam was returned to me and I left toward a social area. 

A woman was on the infestation pier screaming out a name. I think it was 'Joey'.

'Noisy humans' I muttered to myself.

Then quite suddenly a lone Hork-bajir came out and sliced the head off the nearest Hork-Bajir.

CRASH!!!

A large, brown fured animal came crashing out from behind one of the storage sheds. No, not from behind, THROUGH! The creature I belived was named a 'bear' was quickly followed by a 'dog' with an arching back.

The traitor Hork-Bajir came towards the pier in a rage.

I drew my weapon. This was no ordinary Hork-Bajir.

Suddenly, a herd of controllers stampeded towrads us. I caught a glimpse of brown flank behind them.

My crowd turned and ran the other way.

I lost the strange Hork-Bajir in the comotion.

'Blast' I said in Human tongue that I had learnt from my host, Rochelle.

I fired my Dracon Beam. Level 3. It hit the woman who had been screaming before her infestation, which she had norowly avoided. She colapsed in a heap.

I started firing again and again and again trying to hit the dog and the bear whilest still searching for the strange Hork-Bajir.

I found him.

Or should I say, he found me.

He lept on top of me! Blades flashed. I dropped my gun. The Hork-Bajir lept for my Dracon Beam. I removed her outstretched arm. She lept again. She gripped the gun in her remaining hand and turned the diel to 10!!! She aimed it at me. She fired.

The beam passed me!!! It hit the surface of the pool. The liquid bubbled. It turned red. Small sizzleing sounds could be heard from the pool. Frying Yeerks.

Then the gun was aimed at me.

FWAPP!!!

Andalite tail-blade hit Hork-Bajir blade.

The Hork-Bajir turned, saw visser three and looked in fear.

The Visser laughed. HA HA HA. Foolish Andalites. Yes, i know you and these earth Andalites are in morph. It seems that not every andalite died in the great battle, but you have just delayed the inevitable

The Andalite morphed Hork-Bajir dropped the gun and ran.

FWAPP!!!

The Hork-Bajir collapsed. So would you if you suddenly lost your left arm and bleeding.

The Andalites in bear and dog morph had escaped, but we had their ally.

Demorph Andalite or I'll remove your head!............

Suddenly the Visser let go of the Andalite and hit a creature that i believe is called a Snow leopard.

The creature managed to dodge the Visser, but meanwhile the other Andalite ran away.

I would've went after him, but i didn't care. I left the Yeerk Pool to reach the surface. I was to accompany my men to retrieve the Blue box.

****

Lauren

Caitlin and Kyle had managed to escape. But when I saw that Joey was hurt, maybe dying, and in the hands of the Yeerks, I had to help him out. So, while they noticed a grizzly bear, a German shepard, and a Hork-Bajir, they managed to totally bypass a snow leopard. So much the better for me.

They dragged Joey off to a little room nearby. I followed behind some crates. Take the Andalite into that room. I shall be consulting with my scientists on the best approach to torture him. You three, guard the room in case there are more Andalite bandits. If he escapes, it's your heads I take. Visser Three threatened then walked off.

After a few minutes of waiting, I saw that the Hork-Bajir guards were getting cocky. That was my cue. Stalking silently behind the first guard, I jumped and sank my claws into his back. Screaming with pain, he tried to turn around, but by that time I had gotten a firm hold on the back of his neck with my teeth, and was tearing at his spinal cord. When I was quite sure that he was paralyzed, I moved on to the second guard. By then, they were getting a clue and both came at me with arms raised, blades gleaming.

Before I could react, the second guard had cut me across the side. I roared with fury, and jumped onto him. I slashed him twice with my claws, and then went for the final one. He raised a Dracon bean and shot. I dodged and knocked it out of his hand, before going for his throat. He tried to run, but didn't get 3 steps before I ran in front of him, pushed him down, and ripped out his throat.

I ran quickly for the door before anyone else could stop me. When I got in and looked around for Joey, he looked horrible. Arm slashed off, everything below the knee just gone, and he was losing blood fast. Joey, demorph now or you're going to die. He looked at me dazedly. Lauren? No it's the tooth fairy. Now demorph now! After processing that, he began the slow labourious process of demorphing.

When he was finished, he looked at me. "Why didn't you go with the others?" he asked. You were in trouble. I knew that I could help. End of story. I replied. By the way, I'm sorry about your mom, I said uncomfortably. "Thanks. But I'm going to make them pay for infesting her." he said powerfully. That's what I like to hear. Now come on. We have to go. He nodded. "Do you think I'll be able to go Hork-Bajir again?" It's worth a try. I replied.

So he began to morph back into Hork-Bajir. And he morphed a perfectly healthy Hork-Bajir. Alright. Let's go. he commanded. I didn't argue. We ran out of that room and toward the stairs like hell was on our tails. And it was.

We had almost escaped when HE showed up again but this time in a montrous morph of a big giant blob.

Oh crap, i said.

It went afer us! We tried to run, but the blob was freaking fast. 

But luckily Joey noticed comething. Lauren! Look! over there!

I turned to look. There they were. A barrel of Human explosives. But why would they use them for? And why was i caring right now?

Joey picked up a Dracon beam on the floor picked it up and we continued to run. He fired at the explosives.

A massive explosion went off. But we weren't far enough not to feel it's effects.

I went diving....and felt blackness.....I felt my brain shut down......

****

Lauren

I was flying!

Soaring through the clouds over the beach, ocean air rising up to meet me, seagulls searching for scraps below me.Four kidswere the ones that I was paying the most attention to. Jake, Cassie, Rachel, and Marco playing the innocent spectators. I glided down to the lifeguard hut and reluctantly demorphed. 

At 9:00, we had to go home. Unfortuantly, for me, home was with my uncle. And he was drunk. Again. "TOBIAS!!!"

Some swirling colors and then the picture was back. We were in the Yeerk pool this time. I was a hawk again. It had been almost an hour since the others escaped. I had been stuck when the masses swarmed onto the staircase. Not enough flying room. Finally, a place to demorph!!

I swooped down to some crates and focused. Wait, why wasn't it working? Then I looked at a human Controllers watch. It was 8:45. Wait, didn't I morph at 6:30? Then I realized that I was trapped. Forever. 

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

It went dark, and a voice spoke. 

"I am sorry Lauren. But there is nothing I can do at the present time. Maybe later, when the game evolves."

Who are you?

"My name is OMEGA."

How do you know my name?

"I know everything about you. Your fears, desires, crushes, enemies, everything."

What game? What can't you do?

"It will all be answered later. Now I think it's time you woke up."

The voice fell silent, and the colors over took me again.....

Lauren!!! Wake up dammit, wake up!!! Joey hissed at me.

That was the first thing I was aware of. The next thing was pain. Lots and lots of pain. Oooohhhh shiiiiiiit!!!! I yelled. Shhhhh! He hushed me. I did it in PRIVATE thoughtspeak Joey. I retorted. I shakily stood up. My legs were a little shaky, but nothing was broken luckily.

"Good, you're ok," He said. 

What happened? I asked

"After the explosion, I grabbed you and tried to make a run for it i still noticed the Visser escape though...and he looked pretty mad. As much as a blob could go. The door was blocked though, so I just ran around the Yeerk pool hiding us two. Then, about an hour ago, a lot of Yeerks just left. They were pretty excited bout something. But there were still too many guards to fight by myself. You're awake though, so we can try and make a run for it, or wait til the others notice we're gone," Joey explained.

I shook myself, then I remembered the dream. And I remember that the person that I was, had been trapped. That's when I started to get nervous. Joey, how long have I been in morph? I asked. After all, he was like a digital clock. "Well we morphed at around 7, we were morphed for about 20 minutes, before Caitlin and Kyle were chased off, and I was captured, it was maybe 10 minutes before you got me, and I lost track of time after that....Lauren, you better demorph real quick" He said.

I focused obligingly. Focused on my own human body. And focused. And focused. And for a change of pace, I took a breather, and then focused. Nothing was happening. No. It couldn't be. I couldn't be trapped...as a snow leopard. As some damn cat. Then I remembered that voice. How he said that he couldn't do anything. How he was sorry.

No. I realized that the thing that Elfangor had warned us about had come true. I was a snow leopard. Maybe for life. Joey, it's not working. I'm trapped Joey..I'M TRAPPED!!!!! I shouted panicked. Joey swiped at me with a blade. Lauren, I know you're scared, but if you start panicking now, we'll never get out. Now just get it out of your head, and deal with it later. Now is not the time. He said. He was right. I had to get a hold of myself. I could deal with this later. Later.


	11. Confusion

****

Alberto

Alright, we could morph mice, but me and Alberto have no mice morph, said James.

I acquired one yesterday, said Helen

Eeeeeewwwww, You actually touched it? Not that i'm afraid of touching a mouse, I said

Uh-huh, sure Alberto. Whatever, Okay helen get ready to morph the mouse. We'll tell you when it' clear, said James.

Helen swooped down. And we swooped up to gain altitude to observe the area. No one looking or anyone in sight.

Okay, Helen. All clear Do your stuff, announced James.

Helen started to meld and mold. Eeeeewww Helen, do you have to make it look that gross? i asked her disgustedly.

Helen made a face, i don't know what it was supposed to me since she had a beak still on her face. I guess it was Beakanese for "shut-up Alberto", but it's just my guess.

Helen was almost fully human now. But then i spotted something.

Yo jamie boy, Look! Some girl is approaching the house, I said.

helen! Keep down, somebody is coming, said James.

Helen nodded and tried to hide the best she could.

The girl rang the door bell, and the new boy opened the door holding the blue box. They started talking. I couldn't hear them, but Helen could. I could tell she was listening.

Her eyes widened. She looke up into the sky.

She started mouthing something to me.

The hurl wanted the chicken pox? Wait that's not right. Wait i almost had it.......

The girl is asking for the blue box! exclaimed James.

Oh sure, take away my thunder, i said resentfully.

The boy thought for a moment, he was was moving the box closer to her. He was handing it to her!

James.... I started, but he was already on his way with his Peregrine falcon morph in a dive!

But the boy turned the blue box back to him. He held onto it. I think he said something like No, Sorry. I'd liker to keep it.

The girl looked angry and started to walk away.

James! STOP!

But he was still going, it's hard to stop when you're going over 200 km/h 

****

Daniel

"Sorry,"I said,"I'd like to keep the box here but your welcome to come and see it any time."

She started to walk away with an angry look on her face.

"Wait!"I yelled after her,"I'll let you ha-"but my words were interupted.

I looked up and one of the birds I had seen earlier was rocketing towards me at a speed of at least 200 mph.

As it reached me,I leapt out of it's way. It continued into my house and crashed onto the sofa.

Lynne looked horrified and came up to me,"Are you okay?"she asked.

"Yeah,"I said,"but I don't think that bird is."

Walton came in the room as I set the blue box down on the ground near the door and went over to the couch and looked at the bird.

Lynne and I were examining the strange bird when another bird landed on my doorstep and started to push the box with it's head out the door.

Walton started to growl and pounced over to where the bird was. The bird lifted off and flew out over my house.

I closed the door and went back to looking at the bird...... 

****

Alberto

Helen! James is in the kid's house! We've gotta rescue him!

Helen nodded. 

Morph something that will be able to get james out! I yelled.

Helen looked puzzled. She didn't really have that much of a reputoire of morphs. 

so i guess we'd have to go as humans....

5 minutes later.

I rang the door bell.

The door opened.

The boy answered the door.

"Hi i'm Alberto! and this is Helen," i said cheerily.

"hi, i'm Daniel," he said less enthusiastically. "Bye"

and he shut the door. 

Helen gave me a look again. 

I rang the doorbell again. The boy Daniel answered it. again.

"You're still here?" he asked us.

"Well yes, we were just in the neighboorhood and we noticed you were new at school, and we just wanted to say hi," Helen said sweetly.

"Well you did. Bye," said Daniel. And he shut the door again.

I rang it one more time. Daniel answered again.

"Do you guys have any lives at all?" he asked us.

"We tend to think so," i said jokingly. 

"What are you really here for?" he asked us.

We shrugged.

"Well.... we kinda wanna come back for our bird. that kinda jumped into your sofa," said Helen.

The boy looked at us for a long time. "That's your bird? Yeah.....come in then," he said reluctantly.

He let us in. And we saw James on the sofa unconscious. 

Helen went to look after him.

****

Helen

I ran over to James's unconcious body,

"What've u got a bird like that for anyway?" The boy asked.

"um...well, its a... um...injured bird, you see..." explained Alberto

"I can SEE its injured" said the boy rolling his eyes, i meant why is it yours.

"...Yeah? well i meant it was injured before it crashed in here, we were... looking after it." Replied Alberto trying to keep the boy distracted.

"I got him, but I think he'll need some water to wake him up, is it ok if i just run up to your bathroom + get some?" I asked

"Weelll..."

"Cant we just take hi..." began Alberto

"NO! He REALLY needs some water, from the BATHROOM," I added, winking at Alberto so he got the idea.

"Yeah, ok, but be quick" replied the boy.

"Hmmm, nice computer....." I heard Alby saying as I hurried out the room + up the stairs.

As long as he kept the boy distracted, i might be able to find the box.

I looked into the first room on the landing.. nope... wrong room, next one... YES, this had to be it.

I started looking round the room, not on the desk, not on the bed. Under the bed... no...

I started to panic where WAS it?

"oh.....there it is..." I muttered to myself.

On the very top shelf, had to be really, no way could i reach. I pulled the chair from by the desk, + stood up on it.

"I'm sure she's JUST COMING" I heard Alby saying urgently + loudly from downstairs.

I heard footsteps on the stairs, i stretched higher... maybe i could reach... bit more... bit more... The door flew open.....

****

Daniel

"I'm sure she's just comming!"Alberto said as he,Lynne and I walked up the stairs towards the bathroom.

We slowly walked towards the bathroom,I just remembered that I was going to show Lynne more of the box. 

She seemed to agree and we all went into my room.

"Shouldn't you get your friend and leave?"I said to Alberto.

"Yeah....,"he said,"but first,what's up with that really cool box? I've never seen anything like it."

"What is it with everyone and this dumb little box?"I said angrily,"Everywhere I've gone this week,it's been nothing but:'Hey!Where'd you get the box?' and 'Woah! What's up with the box?',It's just a dumb little box! I found it,decided that it looked cool and put it here! There's nothing much of interest about this box! Now take your dumb little bird and your friend and get out of my house!"

"Okay,geez,don't be so sensitive."Alberto mumbled under his breath.

I turned around and grabbed Helen by the wrist,"Get out."I said.

They both took the bird and left.

****

Deanna

I watched, slightly nervous as a girl named Helen and a boy named Alberto storm from that boy's house. 

They seemed angry, but werent anxious to show it so close to the house. Helen was carrying a bird, and I assumed it was another one of them. 

I stalked them from behind trees and watched curiously as Helen set the bird on the ground. I could see her lips moving as she talked to the bird. Alberto stamped his foot impatiently and the bird slowly began to grow larger. I nodded in satisfaction.

I had made my desicion, I wouldn't kill them. I shouldn't. I couldn't. I decided maybe I could help them without them knowing it...or I could at least try.

The bird grew slowly into a human, whom I recognized as James. He looked tired and weary, but happy to be alive.

"I can't believe him!" stormed Alberto angrily. He rolled his eyes.

"How can anyone be friends with him?"

Helen shook her head and snapped her fingers irritably.

"We were soo close. Sooo close." She sighed. James just shook his head sadly.

"I think that girl, his friend, uhh what was her name? Lynne or something? Well, I think she may be a Controller."

"Yeah," I agreed under my breath. "She may be." I started to make my way out of there, to get away from them when a twig snapped under my foot. Helen, James, and Alberto froze. Their heads turned in my direction.

Uh. Oh. 

****

Alberto

We saw a figure. And we saw it ran.

I tried to run after him or her but i was stopped by james.

"No, we have much more important things to worry about. She probably didn't see anything," said James.

"What important things?" i asked angrily.

Helen answered my question. "Look. Over there."

She pointed across the street, and he girl from earlier was there with Daniel, and they went inside. The girl motioned her hand in a 'come here' fashoin signaling someone when daniel was turned around.

We saw where she was signaling to. 2 jeeps were there. And out came three 7 feet tall cloaked figures came out of each jeeps. 6 in total. I'm prett sure what a saw were hork-bajir

"Oh crap," i said.

6 hork-bajir, plus 2 human drivers vs. 3 of us?

We weren';t going to survive.

Helen looked nervous. James looked tense. I'm pretty sure i looked scared.

"Battle morphs now. We have to get that blue box. No matter what the cost," whispered James.


	12. Morph-capable

****

Helen

"Oh no! I thought this would be a quick, in, grab the box, then out again!" I complained.

"We've got no choice," James said "We HAVE to get that box, the yeerks cant get hold of it!"

"Come on, battle morphs!" Said James. 

The cloaked Hork-bajir were now into the building, we had to hurry.

"I SAID we should practice these morphs!" Said Alberto, 

"But, noooooo, you said we wouldnt NEED the battle morphs yet."

"Yes well, I didnt know this would happen did I? Stop delaying, we need to get in there!"

We started to morph, I morphed Leopard, Alberto morphed Gorilla + James morphed to tiger. It was still pretty disturbing to see your friends suddenly grow way more hair than they should have + to see there ears move right up there heads, so i turned away. After a quick look up + down the road we ran towards the building. 

I really dont want to do this I told James + Alberto.

You can back out if you want?

Yeah right, like i'd do that.

Come on then, lets go in..........

****

Agahim

"Here it is," said one of my followers.

II turned to look outside the window of the primitive human vehicle. A lone human girl came out. I recognized her as one of my Yeerk spies who's human host named Lynne, stumbled across the morphing cube in the first place and then alerted me.

"Let's get that morphing cube right now!" I commanded. 

I did not care about secrecy anymore. I got out of the trasportation device and 5 fellow hork-bajir and 2 human-controllers followed me.

I removed my Dracon Beam from it's holster and fired.

TSEEEEEEEEEEW

BOOM!!!

The wooden door exploded. We rushed in. Streight upstairs. I kicked the door open. I stepped inside. A lone, human boy sat on the bed. I belive Rochelle, my second host, would have found him uit attracktive. 

He was holding the Blue Box.

I lept. He dodged.I felt my tail touch something smooth and warm. It sent a tingle up my spine. I turned. Leveled my Dracon beam at the boys head.

SMASH!!!

Glass all over the floor.

And a feline creature much like the one at the pool pounced and started ripping into me..............

****

Daniel

I walked through the door,Lynne stayed behind and closed the door after a minute,she wasn't saying anything. 

I grabbed the blue box off the dresser and was heading out of my room when a huge....I didn't know what it was,jumped at me,it had it's giant,razor blade hand on it when I yanked it away.

The creature leveled a weapon at my head,all of sudden,a leopard pounced out from behind the door.

TSSSEEEEW

The weapon went off,barely hitting my head. I looked out my bedroom door to see a gorrilla in the hallway fighting another one of those beasts.

I grabbed the box and got down on the floor. I started to crawl down on the floor to try and get out when a huge foot came down in front of me,I grabbed the foot and held onto it for a second,the huge monster went into the same kind of mode that Walton went into.

I saw my chance to run, but somehow i couldn't forget the thought of myself starting to turn into walton. 

Suddenly my hand started to itch. I was becoming Walton again!

But instead of trying to stop it i decided to let it happen.

Slowly,I started to get smaller,I grew shaggy fur out of my head, legs, arms and tail....tail? Woah! I had a tail! My neck got shorter,my clothes fell to the floor. Pretty soon, I WAS walton.

I WAS HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY HAPPY!

I stopped to sniff. Intruders! Intruders! 

Ooo! Some dog is peeing outside.

I ran out past the big lumbering beasts and went outside to play.

****

Caitlin

Caitlin had escaped the yeerk pool safely with Kyle, thinking that Joey and Lauren were right behind them but she was wrong. "What do we do?" I asked quietly as I paced back and forth, watching Kyle sitting down on the bench, trying to think things through.

"We can't go back in, it would be suicide..." He said more to himself than to Caitlin. They had barely escaped with their lives and were chased out of the store. They had to cut across a few alleys and double back before they knew that they were safe and that they could demorph back into their human selves.

"We can't just leave them there!" Caitlin stated impatiently, looking at kyle firmly. "I won't leave anyone behind. I refuse to just give up!" tears swelled around the corners of her eyes and her face reddened. This was the side of her that she hated most, the weak little girl that set her apart from the rest.

"I know...we should probably go and alert the others. We need to find Cassie and Marco right away."

Caitlin shook her head, looked at the sky then looked back at Kyle. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Kyle was looking at her as though she were a complete lunatic.

"We should probably..."

"No, after that, you said Ax, what did you mean by Cassie? Marco?" She demanded from him but only got a bewildered look in return.

"I never said those names, you must be imagining it." Caitlin sat down on the bench and held her head in her hand, trying to hide the throbbing.

** "Until then we fight." "Yes prince Jake." "Don't call me prince jake." "who are you ellimist, who are you that play..." "translation: we win, you lose." "I am Aximilli-Esgarouth-Isthill..." "Just tell them we're animorphs..." "Idiot teenagers with a death wish" **

So many thoughts and images ran through Caitlin's head. She had no idea where this was coming from or if she was just crazy and it was all really just in her head. "Cailin, are you alright?"

** "Ram the blade ship." "You fight well human." "I did not choose you to be one of the six..." "Cassie the anomaly..." "Anomaly.......sub temporarilly gounded....can see through the walls..." **

"Caitlin?" Kyle looked at her concerned. 

"what? Yea, i'm fine." Caitlin shook her head and smiled weakly. "Let's go find the others." Kyle got up and started to run towards that kid's house when he turned back to see Caitlin standing there. "Why are you running? i know a better way there." She smiled insanely as she pointed up towards the sky.

****

Alberto

"ARGH!" i growled as a hork-bajir sliced my left arm off.

I still managed to punch the hork bajir with my right arm.

He went down. 

hard.

I saw James the tiger getting 3 timed.

He was fast, but not that fast. He dove into the nearest hork-bajir and bit his throat off.

But the 2 other hork-bajir were already on James slashing madly.

I rolled to him and picked up my left arm, threw it at one of the hork-bajir and caught him off gaurd. I lept and headbutted him in the stomach.

In the corner of my eye i saw james barely managing to hold on, but had enough strength to cut the other hork-bajir's throat with his sharp deadly claws.

I put my hand on the hork bajir i headbutted, on his throat and sqeeezed the life out of him.

The next thing i knew i was growling in pain. The hork-bajir i punched in the stomach before got up and sliced my back.

I did a swinging backfist but was sliced again in the chest. but luckily for me a leopard managed to jump on his back.

Need help? Helen asked.

um...i think you're the one to talk now, i said.

2 hork-bajir were coming after her. i was gonna ask about what happened to the human controllers but i pretty much thought up of what helen did to them. 

Where's..the...ug...box? James asked weakly.

It's gone. and so is Daniel, Helen said.

aw crap... i said.

Ug..then we got to leave. me and Alberto are hruting and need to demorph, let' s retreat!

We ran like hell after that. I found the strength to carry james with my hand out the door.

Helen followed closely.

The hork-bajir weren't coming after us for some reason. I turned around. and i saw a dog..Daniel's dog start barking it's head off at the hork-bajir. I think the Hork-Bajir thought it was another andalite bandit. and that puppy wouldn't live that long.

now's our chance! said james. go!

I'm sad to say my immediate response was. YES! FREEDOM! 

But it's survival of the fittest and no matter what. we had to survive.

It was basically getting dark. about 7:00. we hid behind some alley. 

We demorphed and all our wounds were healed.

"I have an arm again!" i exclaimed.

i was gonna exclaim some more but i heard a barking sound.

and there...was Daniel's dog. barking at me...

But that wasn't the strange part. The strange part was that it had the blue box!

"Daniel?..." Helen asked.


	13. Recap

Just or the sake of it all. This is a character guide of the story. And a synopsis so you're not getting confused.  
  
Alberto- The Marco type character, but just a tad bit more enthusiastic about himself and girls. And he's not detective smart like Marco, and he doesn't have messed up family  
  
Agahim- A sub-visser, who wants the morphing cube so he can become Visser 1, or even 2 just to beat Visser 3.  
  
James- Jake-like, best friends with Alberto. Isn't selfish but sometimes when he is too caught up in responsibility he messes up.  
  
Joey- Jake-like also. He shares leadership with James. He's friendly and just plain likable and as a good sense of responsibility  
  
Helen- Cassie like almost, a little klutzy (sorry Ukani), but also very good at solving problems.  
  
Caitlin- Sort of Rachel like, less fierce but best friends with Lauren.  
  
Kyle- H's sort of like Tobias, and can be a real big threat when angered.  
  
Lauren- Best friends with Caitlin, and also xena-like. (Only fitting 2 psychos are best friends)  
  
Daniel- A new boy in town who found a blue box on the way home.  
  
Lynne- Used to be friends with Kyle, but has been felt left out when he started hanging out with his new friends/  
  
Deanna- A mysterious street kid. Who else knows?  
  
Visser 3- Do I really have to explain him?  
  
Synopsis: Alberto, Joey, James, Caitlin, Lauren, Kyle, and Helen all gain the power to morph. But everything turns bad when the team has to split up into 2 teams to cover 2 missions. One team to get the blue box that some kid found, and the other team to explore the Yeerk Pool that joey found. Unfortunetly, Lauren gets trapped as a Snow leopard, and is trapped in the Yeerk Pool with Joey.  
  
James, Helen, and Alberto went into Daniel's house to get the blue box, but found that others were already there, namely Yeerks. They escaped with their lives without Daniel. But suddenly Daniel managed to escape from his newly trashed home, and morphed his dog Walton. Now James' team has confronted him. 


	14. Next day

1 Joey  
  
  
  
I couldn't believe it, Lauren, trapped as a snow leopard? The two of us, alone in the Yeerk Pool? The others? I didn't even know ehere they were! This did not look good.  
  
Joey, I'm going to be a leopard forever! What will my parents do? How would you hide me? How...  
  
Shh! I told her. We'll do somehing later, if we get out alive, then you can worry.  
  
It was a little harsh. I mean, it was understandable, her life was pretty much over already! But right then, I couldn't focus on anything but the exit.  
  
I'm going to demorph, then morph again. Give myself more time, then we'll go for that entrance, I pointed at a doorway 50 metres away. only 3 Hork- Bajir there.  
  
I could see Lauren as I demorphed, a snow leopard can't cry. But Lauren could, in her mind, I suddenly felt a wave of anger against the Yeerks. They'd done this. They'd trapped humans in their own bodies, Lauren in her Snow-leopard morph. I was going to make them pay.  
  
I was fully human, and started morphing again, the time limit would start again. Who knows how long it would take to escape? needed all the time I could get, or I might end up...like Lauren.  
  
Suddenly, movement! A Hork-Bajir walked round the corner, his eyes went wide.  
  
'ANDALITES!' He bellowed. Then he lunged at me.  
  
GROWWWWWWWR! Lauren pounced on him, ripped his chest open with her Leopard claws. Meanwhile, I realised, I was still half human! If anyone else saw me, we were done for!  
  
Lauren! Cover me while I finish morphing!  
  
Two more Yeerk guards rushed round the corner, Lauren bared her teeth, then leapt to the left, avoiding a Hork-Bajir wrist bade. I rolled to the side, staying behind her. As I did, the last few blades popped out of my arms. I was ready for battle.  
  
I Ran straight through the nearest controller, leaving a huge gash in his waist, he fell to the ground, unable to move. Meanwhile, Lauren was circling another Hork-Bajir, she slipped under his blade, and slashed at his face, the alien fell back, blinded. We fought them off, wave after wave, blades and claws flashing in the air. Then, suddenly...TSSSEEEEEEEEEW! TSSSEEEW!  
  
Dracon Beams!  
  
A misplaced shot sizzled an attacking Hork-Bajir, the next time, we might not be so lucky. The controllers had blocked our escape routes, there was no doorway that we could get through.  
  
The Hork-Bajir advanced, surrounding us. Controllers to the left, ahead, and behind. A solid wall to our right!  
  
TSEEEW! TSEEEEW! Lances of red light struck the wall, buring a hole through it, and through the hole could see...  
  
Joey! Light!  
  
I know!  
  
Let's go for it!  
  
She jumped through the hole, 5 red beams of light lanced towards her, narrowly missing, I jumped through, but I wasn't as lucky.  
  
TSSEEEW!  
  
AAAAH!  
  
The dracon Blast had burnt off my tail! I tried to ignore the pain, but it was impossible.  
  
JOEY!  
  
M-My tail!  
  
We've got to get out of here!  
  
Get away...Got to...get...out.  
  
My thought-speak voice was getting weaker, was I...dying?  
  
Just run! RUN!  
  
TSSSEEEW!  
  
The Dracon fire snapped me out of it. I saw daylight! I sprinted for it, Lauren stood at the entrance. A small control panel was near the opening.  
  
This must close the door! Get inside!  
  
I skidded to a halt, outside the door. Lauren reached up with her paw and banged it against the button, the door slid shut. I turned, to find myself in the mall, one of the changing rooms in a clothes store. Now I faced a whole new set of problems, I had to get a Snow-Leopard out of a mall.  
  
Then I thought about where I was just minutes earlier, and I breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
  
  
2 Caitlin  
  
We all kinda split up after the battle, not knowing what to do, thinking that maybe Joey and Lauren would make it out. Even though the odds were about a billion to one, they wre the only two that could probably get out of that place. And even though i trusted them, i was going to try to save them.  
  
My alarm clock went off and I jumped out of bed and got dressed and ready for what was going to come.  
  
I put on an old leotard under my normal clothes, a pink T and overalls. I put my hair up into a messy bun and wrote a note for my mom saying that i was Kyle.  
  
Suddenly the phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"What's your favourite scary movie?" said a dark sinister voice.  
  
"Shut up Alberto." I said, rolling my eyes.  
  
"Hey! i'm offended, but anyway thanks for asking if me james, and helen were okay." he responded.  
  
"No problem. Well....what happened?"  
  
"Well....come to the shack, right now."  
  
I left and about 30 mintues later i arrived at the shack. Everyone was there, except Lauren. Nobody answered me when I asked where she was.  
  
"So..what's up?" i asked.  
  
"Well....you know that kid Daniel?" Alberto asked.  
  
"Um...the new kid?" i said.  
  
"No..," he said sarcastically. "But i'm magnificent."  
  
I just sighed at his stupidity.  
  
He was gonna say something else but Helen interupted. "See, Hork-Bajir showed up when we did and we fought them, we managed to escape and found a puppy with the blue box. I figured it was Daniel, so we brought him here. And we told him EVERYTHING."  
  
"WHAT???!!!" I shrieked.  
  
The other nodded in agreement.  
  
  
  
"Well anyway, It wasn't our fault he's on of us. He already had the power to morph, it seems that he got it when he picked up the blue box. He's actually sleeping right now. We're letting him rest because after this he won't be able to sleep at all, bcause the Yeerks are after him, and we suspect that his parents are already taken. From now on. H's one of us." 


	15. Spotted

****

Alberto

The past 2 weeks were NOT fun for me at all. I had approximately 6 hours of sleep! I need at least 25! But no...... I have to wake up at 5 O' clock in the morning to watch over Daniel.

He lived in the shack now that Me and James found one day. It's actually kinda ice inside. We found a decent matress and some covers, i donated a pillow. Somehow we also managed to get some kind of carpet to spread across the mud filled shack. It wasn't the place to live. But at least it WAS a place to live.

Well anyway, the reason we were watching over Daniel was to make sure that the Yeerks don't get to him or he doesn't get alll wigged out and run away. 

Frankly i don't trust him. I don't like him either. And he smells too. 

I don't think we need more members even if my friend Lauren is now a cat. Caitlin took that pretty hard. Lauren got trapped in the Yeerk Pool and someho Joey and her managed to escape. She lives in the woods now trying not to be seen because she defitely does not belong there. She has fierce claws now and with her bad temper....

Remind me to buy her some kitty litter. 

Most of the others trust him but i can see on the looks of Joey and James that the'e having suspiscions as well. But i don't blame them when i see the greedy looks when we have meetings at somebody's house or tell him we're going to school. 

GETTING JEALOUS OF SCHOOL???!!! That's just plain Whack.

I don't find it comforting either that we're powering up a guy with morphs who we barely know but we did need him, because yet after all the stupid danger we still have missions. The last mission was not fun either. 

We had to stop these presentations that encouraged people to join a group called The Sharing who is in reality a Front organization for Yeerks, but spreading out peace, love and Joy. Even if they weren't a Yeerk organization i would go after them anyway. Peace? Love? Joy? From people who smile creepily at you half the time? 

As if.

"Alberto! Go to school already!" My mom called.

Crap.

I took my stuff and ran towards James' hopefully getting a carpool to school.

****

Lynne

I am a controller.

A alien slug who crawled into my brain and is now controlling me. The term seems weird huh? But that's what i'm called now. It's the worst thing imaginable that could happen to you. Not being able to even blink when you want to!

But No matter what terrible things i have suffered, I still had to go to school. And that just..sucked.

I watched my Yeerk bid my parents goodbye. MY parents. She made me get out of the house and into the school bus. 

The yeerk didnt talk to me much, it ignored me for the most part. But it was a careless yeerk. Or did the yeerk WANT me to know its thoughts? For the yeerks thoughts were clearly 'seen' by me, and I couldnt believe what the yeerk in her head was thinking....it was a smart yeerk, that was for sure.

It had been going over in her head that the bandits that had fought the yeerks the nightat Daniel's house and the ones who were attacking the Yeerks' mission, weren't Andalites. It had seen and followed two of the animals out of theBoy Daniel's house, had seen them DEmorph into young humans! How the yeerk squealed with glee. It now knew something the other yeerks did not know. It was the yeerk's ticket to a promotion.

I wish i could know more about the yeerk, the yeerk never bothered to introduce itself. I didnt even know its rank or position...

It seemed like forever since that day when she first became a controller. ButI knew it had only been barely a month.

Suddenly the bus stopped and I knew they were in school.

I got up, or rather, the yeerk madeMy body get up, but whatever.

As the Yeerk went through the routine of blanking out and just watching the 'scenes' enfold before her eyes, a thought suddenly came to me. 

The yeerk knew about James and Alberto. The same ones who were hanging out with Kyle. It wasnt going to tell anyone..yet. But she hasn't made move yet. But what WAS this yeerk planning on doing?

Kyle was her best friend. Before. Certainly not lately, but she staunchly still believed that kyle still considered her as a good friend, if not best. She did NOT want Kyle getting hurt!

Suddenly, The yeerk turned my body near a corner and she started hearing small whispers but i could still hear pretty well. It sounded like...Kyle's voice.

"We have a meeting at my Joey's house after school," he said.

A girl sighed.

"Are you alright Caitlin?," asked Kyle to the girl named Caitlin

"Yeah...I mean...NO! I'm not all right. My friend's a cat. For life. It wouldn't have happened if we didn't escape and left her alone with Joey." she said.

"We can't change the past. what's done is done," said kyle softly. "We have something important to discuss, about Daniel."

Daniel. The boy who had the box. Alive?! My Yeerk squealed with glee and made a noise.

Kyle and "Caitlin" seemed to hear it to and i heard their footsteps walk off.

I sighed as the yeerk walked into my first class of the day. She saw Kyle an Joey up front looking tired. And had bags under their eyes.

I knew none of them knew I was a controller. Suspected maybe. But..did they know?

The yeerk pasted a fake sweet smile on Lynne's face as she waved good morning to Kyle.

This was going to be a long day...

****

Daniel

It was 3:30 p.m. and i had just left Kyle's house with the rest of my friends over for a meeting. Well not really friends..... They 'rescued' me and told me about the Yeerks,they told me about Elfangor. I'm still not sure if this is a good thing. All i wanted to do is go home.

"Daniel,"Caitlin had said slowly,"you can't go back to your house again. It would be too dangerous."

"But what about my parents? I could get them and they could know it all."I said trying not to hear what they were about to say.

"Well,we can't get your parents,"Alberto said,"By now they've.......they're alreayd part of the Alien slug Slaves R' us corparation."

"No!" I said,still hoping that it all wasn't true,"They havfen't been taken! They got away! I know it,they......" I tried to say as i recalled that.

I was in the eagle morph that the others had got me for a bird of prey morph, along with other useful morphs.

I saw myself being betrayed and laughed at by the "animorphs". And Lynne.

Lynne was befriending me the day she saw me.....wait. Not because of me. She was always asking for the blue box, and wanted to have it. I didn't think much about it at the time, but she did use the phone before the alien beings called 'hork-dajeer' or something invaded my house and took my life away. 

Lynne was to blame. She was the one who started to cause my pain and misery. If i ever saw her again....Well i'd be the last one to see her.

Alive anyway.

****

James

Daniel had left. He was feeling a little angry that we wouldn't let him anywhere near his parents. He hated that shack and probably hated us too for giving him this situation, but it was my call. I shouldn't have let him come with us but i thought the more the merrier, but now i have suspisons of him. Joey agrees with me, he sees the same things i do.

"I think some of us should watch over Daniel's house to see if Daniel will go anywhere near it, I don't want him letting his emotions take over him and giving away our major secret, but i can't go today i have tons of homework," I said.

Joey nodded in agreement. "I would, but i can't. I've gotta go to Baseball practice today."

"I can't either," said Caitlin. "I'm gonna check up on Lauren and talk to her. She needs a friend now more than ever."

I didn't even bother to look at Alberto, although i did get a glance of him dozing off. Only Kyle was left.

Kyle sighed. "I guess i'll do it if no one's left." He didn't look to happy about it.

"Well, this meeting is finished," Joey declared.

"Yeah, but someone help me cary Alberto off Kyle's sofa? Who knows? Maybe one of our hands will slip and he gets in touch with the nice hardwood flooring," I said.

****

Daniel

I still flew some more even if i knew my time limit was almost over, but i didn't care.

I wanted to see my parents so badly, but Joey and James didn't want me too. 

Damn them.

Wait...when did i ever follow up on what people told me to do? Why should i let a couple of wanna-be Generals to command me? I was my own boss, and I could see my parents anytime i wanted.

Like now for instance.

I started flying in that direction to my hosue buy i first landed on a roof did a quick demorph and morph. And i was on my way.

I got there 10 mintues later. The window was opened in my room and already i could see my parents. They were sitting on my bed looking at my pictures. That was parents missing their only son. Not controllers.

My dad suddenly got up and went to my desk where my phone was. By now i was perched right on my room and i could here everything.

"Yes Visser," my Dad's voice said. "We believe the boy shall come home soon. But make no mistake, either we'll make him ours or....kill him."

I alsmot fell off the roof with surprise and grief. 

They were controllers! Even my family had to suffer for Lynne's actions! This was the last straw! I was coming after Lynne, i would wait for her after school and kill her, at least it's not worse than being a slave.

Then i noticed Kyle walking up the street. With a girl. 

Not just any girl. 

The one person who i blame most for all that has happened for me. 

LYNNE! With Kyle! They betrayed me! They set me up with Lynne so i would be one of them animorphs! They set me up! All of them! Those bastards!

I calmed myself down. But i knew that this wasn't over. I would have my revenge. On everything and everyone.


	16. Set up

****

Kyle

I was leaning against the tree near Daniel's house where he used to live. I was supposed to be looking out to see if Daniel would swing by here because he seemed a bit mad just as soon as the meeting was over, because James and Joey wouldn't agree on him ever seeing his parents again because of the giant risk. While i was waiting and watching for Daniel, I saw my friend Lynne and she stopped by to talk to me.

"Long time no see Lynne," i said.

"No...long time no speak," she said. "I've seen you around and i'm pretty sure you've seen me around, it's just that you never come to talk to your best friend."

i was surprised to hear her say that. I guess i really did stop hanging out with her after Elfangor, but i was caught up in something way more important that most people wouldn't comprehend. But it still hurt me when she said those words, I guess she saw it too,.

"Don't worry about it Kyle, don't explain your actions, I have new friends too. If you haven't noticed. My friends are all at The sharing. It's a great group. You should come by and check us out if you're not too busy to forget about me a second time ," she said smiling.

The Sharing. A front organization for the Yeerks. Suddenly an image in my head of Lynne being forced against her own will to walk down the same pier in the Yeerk Pool. I shook the image off. She's not a Yeerk, i told myself. Just caught up with the wrong people.

"I'm sorry Lynne. But i am really busy. I'll try and make it next time," i said.

She seemed to look angry but calmed down a second afterwards. She shrugged. "No biggie, i just thought you'd just like to come. See you around Kyle."

And she walked away with something more to think about, but i tried to concentrate at the task at hand. After 10 minutes of waiting for any signs of Daniel i heard a rustling sound. I turned around expecting to see Lynne again but i was facing none other than the person i was waiting for. Daniel.

"Oh hey Daniel. What are you doing here?" I asked him cheerily.

"I used to live here, and i was just visitng" he said wearily "But what are YOU doing here?"

"Me? Um..I...er...," i started.

"James sent you to spy on me. He doesn't trust me," he said suspicously.

"James didn't send me," i half lied. after all, Joey and James sent me."I came on my own to check on you, and i thought you might come here."

He looked at me with beady eyes. "Okay, then who was the girl?" he asked in a demanding voice.

I was taken back from him. What interest did he have in Lynne? "Oh she's just an old friend. Come on. Let's bring you home."

He nodded, but he nodded while staring at his house. "Yeah...home. Let's go." He took one last look and then we left.

****

James

It was another meeting, but this time at My house, and this time Alberto was awake. Kyle told us all about what happened and how strange Daniel had acted, and seemed interested with Kyle's friend named Lynne. I didn't know what was going through his mind, but i'm not good at those things.

We were gathered here at my house to discuss about a semi-mission tonight, but not invloving Yeerks. 

"Okay,as you all know, we have discussed earlier that we might need more morphs for later day purposes but we can't all go to The Gardens all at once," I said. "Joey will go with one team one night. And i'll go with one team another night. Joey will announce who will be going with his team tonight."

Joey stepped forward. "Team #1 will be ME, Kyle, Daniel and Caitlin," Joey said.

I noticed Daniel's eyes light up when we said he was going tonight. I didn't think much about it. But i guessed it was just because he wanted a new morph.

"Team #2 will be James, Helen, and Alberto," he said.

"WHAT??!!" said Alberto.

"HEY! You, me and James weren't such a bad team when we worked together," said Helen.

"Huh? No! I'm not talking about that! The Toronto Raptors beat the 76'ers! And i was bet $20 the 76'ers would win!" Alberto said. He was smiling. Then he noticed the looks on our faces.

"Yeah, that's the exact face i had when i learned they lost," he said.

Joey sighed. 

"Hey, I'm the one who's in his team, Not you! remember?" I reminded him.

****

Joey

We first told our parents all the lies about where we were going minues Daniel. Then we were set and we set off after the Gardens were closed. Luckily they were closed early today, according to Kyle at least.

He was right and we got into the back exhibits no problem. I looked at Caitlin, she seemed gloomy. 

"What's wrong?" i asked her. 

"It's nothing...it's just that.....Lauren. We had fun the last time we were here and it makes me feel bad that i'm the one who still has my own body and morphing powers. I want her to be here also," she said.

I nodded. I remembered the Yeerk Pool and the shock and horror of the sound of the voice of Lauren's voice when she couldn't moprh back. It was horrible feeling. "Yeah, I understand your pain, but it's the past. I would change it if i could without a doubt, or switch my place with her. But i can't do anything about it, and neither can anyone else.

He still didn't seem satisfied with that. But she seemed a little bit cheered up. I looked at Kyle.

"Kyle where do we go first?" i asked him tryign to focus us back to the mission of getting more morphs.

Kyle stopped and thought for a moment. "Let's go to the Lion exhibit. I want a lion moprh just like Daniel. It's way more powerful then a hyena."

I let him lead the way and i caught Daniel's glance of hatred. I bet he didn't like how Kyle was ripping off his own morph. 

After 5 mintues we arrived at a door and Kyle opened it. There was a cage bloocking us to the Lions area. Kyle opened it up and we went in catiously. We could see the Lions sleeping. Lucky for us.

"Let's go battle morphs," i said. "Just in case there's any trouble for Kyle."

In a few minutes there was standing a Bear, a Hork-Bajir, and a Male lion. Plus a measly human boy.

Kyle moved to the nearest Lion. He was walking very slowly with no sound, we moved slowly behing him too. Kyle hand moved up ready to touch the Lion and acquire it's DNA. Within seconds he'd be able to become it.

"Stop right there!" a voice said.

We turned around. There, standing was a security guard. But unlucky for us holding a Dracon beam and with 2 Hork-Bajir and 3 taxxons by his side. 

****

Kyle

Kyle! Get ready! In about 3 seconds we'll attack them. Run and hide as soon as we do that!

"Hmph...dumb andalite bandits...always...."

But right then they Attacked. And i ran, but before that i saw Joey jump at the nearest Hork-Bajir and have Caitlin do her stuff, and Daniel.....hey.....where was Daniel?

TSEEEW!! TSEEEW!! The security guard! He was shoooting at me!

I ducked but then tripped face flat onto the floor...er...grass. Suddnely i felt a something approach me. I lifted up my head and i was face to face with a Lioness. Technically Lionesses are stronger and probably have faster reflexes than Male lions since they do all the hunting. 

I touched it's leg. Any second now it would go into a trance leaving me free to run away as cowardly as possbilbe with no girls watching.

"Grrrr...."

huh? I was acquireing it. i looked up at it's face at it wa growling at me. Not at all in a trance. i let go and backed away slowly. It started advancing towards me. I kne i shouldn't have ran, but instinct told me too. But as lightning the Lioness was after me.

Then i ran into a 7-foot razor blade. It was holding a dracon beam. I guess this was the end....I put back my fist and punched the Hork-Bajir as hard as i could. 

Kyle? What are you doing? I'm trying to stun the Lioness over there, said Joey.

TSEEEW!! TSEEEW!!

The Lioness got stunned inches away from me. I walked back with Joey, to find Caitlin still in bear morph watch fasinated as the Taxxons were devouring the Hork-Bajir controllers, the security guard, and themselves. With no Daniel in sight.

We decided that it was best to leave the taxxons to do dirty work for us.

Then a figure appeared at the doorway. Holding a Dracon beam.

"Stay right there Andalites!" said a girl's voice.

Lynne? 

****

End of Book #1

A/N: This is the end of Book #1. Originally the ending to #1 involved OMEGA and his visions to everyone, but that just made it a completely confusing story. So this chapter was not originally part of it, and probably neither will be the first chapters of #2. and speaking of book #2, If you want me us to put it up for you just say so, cause we don't know if you want it. 

And also #2 The Traitor,will be something like #21, with some of the same scenes but the ending of #2 is unexpected. Well at least it was with the original copies. So here ends #1 and hopefully if you want it, we'll see you in #2.

- Marco da Magnificent. And in the background, Far, far, far, far in the background is the Co-authors of this story, UKani, Jan Girl, ME (Not Me, but the guy with the SN ME. Who originally had this idea. thanks ME!), Hope, EllimistGirl, North, Animaniac, OMEGA, Animan, and Magilex.


End file.
